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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Fraud email example:

From: winning_info@winning.com
Date: Sun, 06 Nov 2005 14:17:28 +0200
Subject: confirm your lotto win

OPAQUE NATIONAL LOTTERY ORGANISATION,
Berkshire House
167-173 High Holborn
London WC1V 7AA
United Kingdom.

Ball Set Used: 6.
Winning Numbers: 18 - 12 - 43 - 17 - 51 - 59.
Grand Prize Awards: £2,000,000.00
Our Ref: OPNL/9021/05/uk.
You’re Ref: OPNL/W9186/05/uk.

Dear Treasured Lucky Winner,

RE: EMAIL PROMOTIONAL WINNING NOTIFICATION 2005.

It is our pleasure to inform you of our promotional programme held on Friday October 1st
2005. Participants were selected through our computer ballot of individuals and corporate
enterprise from our central email data base as part of our International promotions
program conducted annually to encourage prospective overseas
entries.

As a result, you have been approved a lottery jackpot grand prize awards winning of GBP
£2,000,000.00 (two million pounds only) bonded and insured under a comprehensive insurance
Policy for security reasons and credited to file Ref: OPNL/W9186/05/uk.

Kindly contact our Customer Support Unit - CSU below for further information.
:NO PRIZE WILL BE TRANSFERED AFTER THE 15TH OF DECEMBER 2005

Claims Officer: Mrs. Natasha Anderson,
Customer Support Unit - CSU,
Tel: +44-7040130489
Fax: +44-7030403435
Email:info_winning@inbox.com

We strongly advise that you introduce yourself to our claims officer by stating "your ref"
and Winning information stated above and presents a valid means of personal identification
and international passport as true beneficiary/lucky winner of this promotional lotto prize
to enhance your payment arrangements.

As always, we remain at your complete disposal.

Yours faithfully,
Henry Miller
Promotion Announswer,
OPAQUE NATIONAL LOTTERY ORGANISATION


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