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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: "PRIM OFFICE" <lottoffice1@excite.com> (may be fake)
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 17:28:01 +0200
Subject: AWARD WINNER 2004(LOTTERY)

LOTTERIA PRIMITIVA
'SWEEPSTAKE PROMOTION.
'CALLE/BUSMAN EL-BUENO,
'13728007 MADRID

'FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
'INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
'REF: LP/26510460037/02 BATCH: 24/00319/IPD
'AWARD NOTIFICATION FINAL NOTICE.
WE ARE PLEASE TO INFORM YOU OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THEWINNERS OF
'LOTTERY PRIMITIVA SWEEPSTAKES/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMSHELD ON 15 TH JUNE 2004. YOUR CONTACT IS ATTACHED TO THE TICKET NUMBER004-05117963-198, WITH SERIAL NUMBER 99375 DREW THE LUCKY NUMBERS01-15-37-38-48-49 AND CONSEQUENTLY WON THE LOTTERY IN CATEGORY 1B. YOU HAVEBEEN THEREFORE APPROVED THE SUM OF €1,500,000.00(ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDREDTHOUSAND EUROS)CREDITED TO THE FILE NUMBER:LP/2656043/ES/104
'THIS IS FROM THE TOTAL PRICE MONEY OF €31.472.765.00? SHARED AMONG THE TWENTY THREE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL WINNERS INALLCATEGORIES. ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE SELECTED THROUGH COMPUTER BALOTTING SYSTEMDRAWN FROM 45,000.00 NAMES FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AFRICA, EUROPE,AMERICAAND ASIA AS PART OF OUR INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM WHICH IS? CONDUCTEDEVERY TWO YEARS.
'.. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
'YOUR FUND IS? NOW INSURED TO YOUR CONTACT. DUE TO THECOMPUTER MIX-UP OF SOME NUMBERS AND CONTACTS, WE ASK YOU TO KEEP THIS AWARDSTRICKLY FROM PUBLIC NOTICE UNTILL YOUR CLAIM HAS BEING PROCESSED AND YOURMONEY REMITTED TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT.THIS IS PART OF OUR SECURITY ADVICE TOAVOID DOUBLE CLAIMING OR UNSCRUPULOUS ACTS BY THE PARTICIPANTS OF THIS PROGRAM.
YOU ARE TO CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED, OFIICE: lottoffice@walla.com <mailto:lottoffice@walla.com> SINCE ALL WE HAVE NOW IS? THE WINNING TICKET NUMBER AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WHICH WASATTACHED TO THE WINNING TICKET NUMBER.FOR DUE PROCESSING AND REMITTANCE OF YOURAWARD PRICE, YOU ARE TO REPLY THIS MAIL STATING YOUR NUMBERS. DO NOTE THAT ALLPRICE MUST BE CLAIM NOT LATER THAN 27TH SEPT. 2004. AFTER THIS DATE,ALLFUNDS WILL BE RETURNED AS UNCLAIMED TO THE MINISTRY.
'NOTE: IN ORDER TO AVOID UNNECESSARY DELAY AND COMPLICATIONS,PLEASE QOUTE YOUR REFERENCE AND BATCH NUMBERS IN EVERY OF YOUR CORESPONDENCE. FURTHERMORE,SHOULD THERE BE ANY CHANGE OF YOUR ADDRESS DO INFORMTHIS OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN FROM ALL OUR STAFF.

SINCERELY
JOHN HARRISON
0034-627-128-221 CALL NOW FOR CONFIRMATION.
SEND ALL YOUR REPLY FOR THE CLAIMING OF THIS
AWARD TO THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESS:
lottoffice@walla.com <mailto:lottoffice@walla.com>




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