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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: "PROF. SILVIO PIERLUIGI" <grandedbingo@netscape.net> (may be fake)
Reply-To: grandedbingopro@netscape.net
Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 23.32.09 +0100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU WON $500,000 USD

FROM THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
GRANDED BINGO E-MAIL LOTTO INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM
VIA ANCONA 32,
20125 MI,
MILANO,
ITALIA.
INTERNATIONAL E-MAIL LOTTO PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD.
BATCH NO: GBEL/IT/3241/56321/731
REF. No: GBEL/IT/9731/08261/752
WINNING NOTIFICATION / FINAL NOTICE
This is to inform you of the release of the GRANDED BINGO E-MAIL LOTTERY
BALLOT INTERNATIONAL/ WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 25TH of
OCTOBER,
2004 and the results released on the 27TH of OCTOBER, 2004.
Your email address attached to Ticket No:GB2309164 with Serial No
326712970 drew the lucky numbers of 09-74-25-81-12-56 which
consequently
won the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved
for a lump sum payout of $500,000 Dollars (Five Hundred Thousand
United
States Dollars) in cash credited to file REF. No: GBEL/IT/9731/08261/752
This is from a total cash prize of $28 million United States Dollars
shared among several international lucky winners in the premium, 1st,
2nd
and 3rd categories respectively.
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your
winning information confidential until your claims has been processed
and
your money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to
avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some
participants.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
from only Microsoft users from over 20,000 company, and 3,000,000
individual email addresses all over the world.
To begin your lottery claim, do contact the claims manager on
DR. JOHN ANDREWS
CLAIMS MANAGER
GRANDED BINGO LOTTO INTERNATIONAL SPA
grandedbingopro@netscape.net
Note that all winning must be claimed not later than 29th NOVEMBER
2004.
After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.
Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications do
remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all
correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do not hesitate
inform your claims manager as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for
being part of our promotional program.
Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified. Staff
and family members of Mega Million Lotto SpA are disallowed from
participation in the end of year US$1.6 Billion high stakes.
Yours Sincerely,
PROF. SILVIO PIERLUIGI
grandedbingo@netscape.net
Lottery Coordinator





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