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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Acer Computers UK Limited" <info@spacemonkeys.co.uk>
Reply-To: <acercomputers.uk@mail.bg>
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:11:31 +1300
Subject: RE: PAYMENT RELEASE NOTICE

Acer Computers UK Limited
Head Office
Acer House
Heathrow Boulevard III
282 Bath Road
West Drayton
Middlesex
UB7 0DQ
England
 
Dear Lucky Winner,
 
Thank you for participating in the 2009 Acer Computers UK Limited lottery program. The 2009 Acer Computers UK Limited lottery program selection has been performed at our United Kingdom Corporate headquarters here in London. The Acer Computers UK Limited lottery program is registered and organized in accordance with the British Gaming Board (B.G.B.) and the World Lottery Regulation Act (W.L.R.A.).
 
We are therefore pleased to officially notify you of the status of your Winning. An official notification of winning is hereby issued to you as your email ticket number; ACER-09-0-96-09, with serial number; ACER /01/2009, and ref no; LV /0012/2009 in batch A /6183 randomly drew for the lucky numbers 000-31-0584 which selected your email address as a winner of our lottery program. You have therefore consequently won the Acer Computers UK Limited, 2009 lottery promo in its second batch.
 
As regards the above, we have officially approved a sum payout of 500,000.00 POUNDS only to you as our lottery winner. This amount is from the total prize cash of 2,500,000.00 POUNDS randomly distributed among our five (5) International winners selected by our Lottery Random System Selection (L.R.S.S.).
 
The Acer Computers UK Limited 2009 lottery program's Organising Commitee (L.O.C.) will immediately commence the immediate dispatch of your cheque of 500,000.00 POUNDS as soon as you have contacted them. You are therefore adviced to contact the Acer Computers UK Limited lottery program's Organising Commitee (L.O.C.) immediately as stated below;
 
================================================================
Contact Person: Richie Mccathy
Dispatch Officer in Charge
Acer Computers UK Limited 2009 lottery program's Organising Commitee (L.O.C.)
Email: < acercomputers.unitedkingdom@mail.bg >
Phone / Fax Number: +44-703-1741-647
================================================================
 
Please provide them with the underlisted informations below as soon as possible;
1. Names in Full
2. Delivery Address
3. Nationality / Present Location
4. Occupation
5. Phone Number(s)
 
Hearty congratulations from my humble self and all members of the 2009 Acer Computers UK Limited lottery program's Organizing Committee (L.O.C.)
 
Your's Sincerly,
Engr. Allen Anderson
Chairman
2009 Acer Computers UK Limited lottery program's Organizing Committee (L.O.C.)
For and on behalf of Acer Computers UK Limited.
Copyright© 2009 Acer Inc. All Rights Reserved

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