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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: uknationallotto@postmaster.co.uk
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2004 13:26:08 +0100
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

THE U.K. NATIONAL LOTTERY
12 BRIDGE STREET,
STAINS MIDDLESEX TW18 4TP
UNITED KINGDOM.
REF: LSUK/2031/8161/04
BATCH: R3/A312-59

WINNING NOTIFICATION

WE HAPPILY ANNOUNCE TO YOU THE DRAW (#915) OF THE UK NATIONAL
LOTTERY, ONLINE SWEEPSTAKES INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM HELD ON DECEMBER
15th,2004. YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS ATTACHED TO TICKET NUMBER: 56475600545 188
WITH SERIAL NUMBER 5368/02 DREW THE LUCKY NUMBERS: 4, 14, 23, 31, 35,77 &
(BONUS 24), WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY WON YOU THE LOTTERY IN THE 1ST CATEGORY
I.E. MATCH 6 PLUS BONUS. YOU HAVE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED TO CLAIM A
TOTAL SUM OF L3,102,020 (THREE MILLION,ONE HUNDRED TWENTY TWO POUNDS
STERLING) CREDITED TO FILE KTU/9023118308/03. THIS IS FROM A TOTAL CASH
PRIZE SHARED ONLY TO JACKPOT LUCKY WINNERS IN THIS CATEGORY I.E. MATCH
6 PLUS BONUS.

ALL PARTICIPANTS FOR THE ONLINE VERSION WERE SELECTED RANDOMLY FROM
WORLD WIDE WEB SITES THROUGH COMPUTER DRAW SYSTEM AND EXTRACTED FROM OVER
100,000 UNIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND CORPORATE BODIES THAT ARE LISTED
ONLINE. THIS PROMOTION TAKES PLACE MONTHLY. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR LUCKY
WINNING NUMBER FALLS WITHIN OUR EUROPEAN BOOKLET REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN
EUROPE AS INDICATED IN YOUR PLAY COUPON. IN VIEW OF THIS, YOUR
L3,102,020 WOULD BE RELEASED TO YOU BY ANY OF OUR PAYMENT OFFICES IN EUROPE OR
ANY OF OUR OFFICE WORLDWIDE. TO FILE FOR YOUR CLAIM, PLEASE CONTACT
OUR FIDUCIARY AGENT:

MR. Edwin McArthur
Tel:+44-(0)7040108395
Email: edmcarthur@didamail.com


PROVIDE HIM WITH THE INFORMATION BELOW:


1. NAME

2. ADDRESS

3. OCCUPATION

4. MARITAL STATUS

5. AGE

6. COUNTRY(PRESENT LOCATION)

7. NATIONALITY

8. TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS.

THAT WAY YOUR WINNINGS CERTIFICATE AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS,
CAN BE PREPARED FOR YOU. FOR SECURITY REASONS, YOU ARE ADVISED TO KEEP
YOUR WINNING INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL TILL YOUR CLAIMS IS PROCESSED AND
YOUR MONEY REMITTED TO YOU IN WHATEVER MANNER YOU DEEM FIT TO CLAIM YOUR
PRIZE. THIS IS PART OF OUR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE TO AVOID DOUBLE
CLAIMING AND NWARRANTED ABUSE OF THIS PROGRAM. PLEASE BE WARNED! YOU CAN GO
TO OUR ONLINE RESULT SITE TO CONFIRM THE VALUE OF YOUR WINNINGS AND ALSO

GET A PRIZE BREAKDOWN:-
HTTP://WWW.NATIONAL-LOTTERY.CO.UK/PLAYER/P/RESULTS/PRIZES/PRIZEACTION.DO

GOOD LUCK FROM ME AND MEMBERS OF STAFF OF THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.

MRS. Gladys Cooper
ONLINE COORDINATOR FOR UK NATIONAL LOTTERY SWEEPSTAKES INTERNATIONAL
PROGRAM.

N.B: PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MAIL. CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT
IMMEDIATELY.

------------------------------------------------------THIS MESSAGE AND
ITS CONTENTS (TO INCLUDE ATTACHMENTS) ARE THE PROPERTY OF NATIONAL
LOTTERY CORPORATION AND MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY
INFORMATION. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT ANY DISCLOSURE, COPYING, OR
DISTRIBUTION OF THIS MESSAGE, OR THE TAKING OF ANY ACTION BASED ON INFORMATION
CONTAINED HEREIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. UNAUTHORIZED USE OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED HERE IN MAY SUBJECT YOU TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND
PENALTIES. IF YOU ARE NOT THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, YOU SHOULD DELETE
THIS MESSAGE IMMEDIATELY.

THANKS.......



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