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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: tinaclark200@tiscali.co.uk
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 16:16:14 +0000
Subject: WINNERS NOTIFICATION

FROM:INTERNATIONAL CHARITY/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT OF THUNDER-BALL UK
Congratulations as you are among the lucky winners that were selected
by an advanced automated random computer search over the internet as no
tickets were sold for this program, and thus have been registered for
further consideration in the THUNDER-BALL UK INTERNATIONAL CHARITY
program for the year 2005/2006 notification.
Lucky winners were selected at random via a computer ballot system
drawn from 5,000,000 email addresses of individuals and Corporate bodies

from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania.

Your email address drew ticket number 854-2004, serial number 04-25 and
lucky numbers 25-18-04-AA in the A252 Category. You have therefore been
awarded a prize sum pay out of £1,000,000 (one million Great Britain
Pounds).
However there are only 3 prize payout in the A category, therefore it
is of utmost importance, that you carefully follow these instructions
in claiming your prize money in order to avoid mix up of winning
information of any kind, we request that you keep the entire details of
your
award strictly from public notice until the process of transfer of your
claims has been completed, and your funds remitted to your account.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid cases of double claiming or

unscrupulous acts by participants/non participants of this program.
This notification does not guarantee immediate collection of prize
money, as all necessary paper work must be carried out. Your funds is now

deposited with our payout agents STADS FINANCE COMPANY LTD and insured
to the full value of £1,000,000 (one million Great Britain Pounds).
For confirmation of your selection as a winner, you are TO FORWARD a
copy of this notification email to our director of operations with
details below:

Wilson Davies
Directors of Operations,
THUNDERBALL UK LTD,
Thunder-Ball House,
221 Albemarle Street,
London W1S 4BS,
United Kingdom.

email: Wilson200d@netscape.net
cc: lwsduncan@netscape.net

Congratulations once again from all staff of THUNDERBALL UK LTD and it
is our hope that you participate in any of our international programs
in the nearest future.

Sincerely,
Tina Clark,
Customer Service Manager,
Prize Award Department,
THUNDERBALL UK LTD,
Thunder-Ball House,
221 Albemarle Street,
London W1S 4BS,
United Kingdom.


___________________________________________________________

Book yourself something to look forward to in 2005.
Cheap flights - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/travel/flights/
Bargain holidays - http://www.tiscali.co.uk/travel/holidays/






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