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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: "Netherlands Lotto Promotion" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bensonmr.john@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:21:36 +0100
Subject: Lotto NL(Sweepstake Promotion)

Sweepstake Promotion conducts by De Nederland’s Lotto!!!!!!

Winner!!!

We are pleased to inform you that your e-mail address attaches to Batch No: 815/NL-13 / Ref No: NL-D/902NL
/ Lucky Number: 81513101 has won the staatsloterij of One Million One Hundred Thousand Euros
(€1, 100, 000. 00) lottery program held on the 28th December 2009 and were release today 14th January
2010.

The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 21,000 e-mail addresses of individual
and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer ballot, your e-mail address
emerged as one of Four winners in category "A" You are therefore been approve the winning of One Million
One Hundred Thousand Euros. To file for your claim, you are to contact the claim agent Mr. John Benson
on Email: bensonmr.john@yahoo.com.hk Tel: 0031-616-325-592 /Fax: 0031-847-205-040, be advice to
verify your winning information.

Full name:
Tel/Fax;
Ref Number, Batch and Lucky Number in the e-mail you received
Country of Origin:
Amount Won:
Age:
Occupation:

Congratulation!!!!!!!!!

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Edith Cumby
Promotions Co-ordinator

Anti-fraud resources: