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

Fraud email example:

From: "Laura Andaluss" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vaginfo@aim.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2010 13:43:13 +0200
Subject: PROMOTION

REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/EA
BATCH NO: 4583JL/WIN/IDS
LUCKY NO:10/23/44/72/80
Ticket NO:4-18-19-30-48

PROMOTION DATE: of Aug 9 2010
FROM DESK OF PROMOTION {ZENITH LOTTERY}YOUR EMAIL ID HAS WON 450,000,00 in the first category of our computer ballot email lottery. No ticket
was sold but it is to encourage internet claim your winning, the paying agent office:

Mr.Frank Dorek
Email:vaginfo@aim.com
Tel:+31-647-226-334

Send the following to the claim departmen:

Full names:
Address:
Age:
Occupation:
Phone/Fax

Please note that All winnings must be claimed not later than 14 days

Sincerely Yours,
Laura Andaluss."Mrs"

Anti-fraud resources: