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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: "WIN OFFICE" <winoffice@excite.com> (may be fake)
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 18:14:23 +0100
Subject: LOTTERY AWARD WINNER 2005

LOTERIA PRIMITIVA SWEEPSTAKE PROMOTION.
CALLE/BUSMAN EL-BUENO, 13728007 MADRID SPAIN.
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 THE WINNERS OF
LOTTERY PRIMITIVA SWEEPSTAKES/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS HELD ON 25th
JANUARY.2005. YOUR CONTACT IS ATTACHED TO THE TICKET NUMBER 004-05117963-198,
WITH SERIAL NUMBER 99375 DREW THE LUCKY WINNING NUMBERS 03-32-39-41-42-43 AND
CONSEQUENTLY WON THE LOTTERY IN CATEGORY 1B.YOU HAVE BEEN THEREFORE
APPROVED THE SUM OF EURO € 1,500,000.00. (ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EUROS )
CREDITED TO THE FILE NUMBER:LP/2656043/ES/104 THIS IS FROM THE TOTAL PRICE MONEY OF
EUROS €31.472.765.00 SHARED AMONG THE TWENTY THREE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL
WINNERS IN ALLCATEGORIES. ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE SELECTED THROUGH COMPUTER
BALOTTING SYSTEM DRAWN FROM 45,000.00 NAMES FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AFRICA,
EUROPE, AMERICA AND ASIA AS PART OF OUR INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM WHICH
IS CONDUCTED EVERY TWO YEARS.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
YOUR FUND IS NOW INSURED TO YOUR CONTACT. DUE TO THE COMPUTER MIX-UP
OF SOME NUMBERS AND CONTACTS, WE ASK YOU TO KEEP THIS AWARD STRICKLY FROM
PUBLIC NOTICE UNTILL YOUR CLAIM HAS BEING PROCESSED AND YOUR MONEY REMITTED
TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT.THIS IS PART OF OUR SECURITY ADVICE TO AVOID
DOUBLE CLAIMING OR UNSCRUPULOUS ACTS BY THE PARTICIPANTS OF THIS PROGRAM.
YOU ARE TO CONTACT THE UNDERSIGNED OFFICE FOR THE CLAIMING OF YOUR AWARD
PRICE: claimoffice@zwallet.com SINCE ALL WE HAVE NOW IS THE WINNING TICKET NUMBER
AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE WINNING TICKET NUMBER.FOR
DUE PROCESSING AND REMITTANCE OF YOUR AWARD PRICE, YOU ARE TO REPLY THIS MAIL
STATINGYOUR NUMBERS. DO NOTE THAT ALL PRICE MUST BE CLAIM NOT LATER THAN
31st MARCH . 2005.AFTER THIS DATE, ALL FUNDS 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 INFORM THIS
OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN FROM ALL OUR STAFF.
SINCERELY
MR DENNIS COLE
0034-627-747-095: CALL NOW FOR CONFIRMATION.
SEND ALL YOUR REPLIES TO CLAIM THE AWARD TO THIS OFFICE:
claimoffice@zwallet.com






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