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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: commaxlotteryza@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 01 Jan 1990 10:35:29 +0200
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LOTTO WINNING

NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LOTTO WINNING

We are pleased to inform you SATURDAY 12TH MARCH 2005 as one of the lucky winners of the COMMAX ELECTRONIC LOTTERY INC draws, held on FRIDAY 4TH MARCH 2005 as part of Our e-business promotional draws.

Participants in the draws were selected through a computer ballotsystem drawn from 2,500,000 e-mail addresses of individuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and New Zealand as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.
You qualified for the draw as a result of you visiting various websites we are running the Electronic-business promotions for. You/Your Company e-mail address, attached with REFERENCE NUMBER: ZAR 23457677/2005 BATCH NUMBER: 79-124-WAN with serial number 818-09 drew the lucky numbers 2-9-22-23-24-30 and consequently won in the first quarter of the 2005 year draw.

You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out of US$2,200,000.00 in cash, which is the winning payout for First category winners. This is from the total prize money of US$15,000,000.00 shared among the seven winners in the First category.

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your winnings should be claimed from our paying Agents. (OLDROCK FINANCE LIMITED) As we have notified them. Due to the mix-up that may arise from emails of winners and numbers we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid
double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.

We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our quarter of year (2005) high stakes US$1.1 billion International Lottery.To begin your claim,

Please contact our agent who also Will be your claims agent.

MR.MICHEAL LUNGA
FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER
OLDROCK FINANCE LIMITED
MELVILLE, SOUTH AFRICA
TEL: ++27 76 114 5943
EMIAL:oldrfinance1@netscape.net

For due processing and remittance of your prize money, Remember you must contact your claim agent not later than 20TH MARCH 2005. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your Reference And batch Numbers in every one of your correspondences with your agent.
Furthermore you are seriously advised to keep all winning lottery information and numbers from the public in line with our Company Security Protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by Unscrupulous Individuals.

Congratulations again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our Promotions program.

Yours sincerely,

Customers Service Dept.
Commax Lottery Inc.

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