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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: "ROSE NEWMAN." <rosenewman2000@yahoo.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: s_magidun@mail2agent.com
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2005 21:56:19 +0000
Subject: YOUR WINNING NOTIFICATION FROM PLATINUM LOTTO.

PLATINUM LOTTERY.
Northumberland Street
London WC2N 5RD England
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REF: EGS/2551256003/03.
BATCH: 12/0002/IPD

Attention: Dear Winner,

RE/AWARD NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement of
winners of the PLATINUM LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS UK, held on 29th
of December 2004. Your email address, attached to ticket number
111-2465-2000-100, with serial number 3543-07 drew the lucky numbers 12-16-22-39-39-43, and
consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category. You have therefore been
approved for a lump sum pay of $650,000.00 (Six Hundred and Fifty
Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file HWS/200118308/02.This is from a total cash prize of $10,000,000.00
(Ten Million United States Dollars) shared among the seventeen
international winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn
form 250,000 names 300,000 emails from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe and North
America as part of our International Promotions Program, which is
conducted annually.

Furthermore, your lucky winning number falls within our Western Europe
booklet as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your
$650,000.00 (Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) will be
paid to you either by our banker or financial agent in London or Spain. Due to mix up of some numbers
and names, we ask that you keep this secret from the public
notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to
your account as this is part of the security protocols to avoid double
claiming or>unwarranted taking advantage of this programs by prticipants.

We hope with a part of you prize, you will participate in our end of
year high stakes ($1.3 billion) International Lottery. To begin your
claim, please contact your claim agent: Mr. Stevens Magidun at Email;
s_magidun@mail2agent.com for due processing and payment of your prize money.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence.
Congratulations again from all members of our organizers and thank you for
being part of our promotion program.

Sincerely yours.

ROSE NEWMAN.
GENERAL MANEGER
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION
PRIZE AWARD DEPT.


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