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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: lotterycoordinator@zenexelectronics-lottery.com
Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 19:27:46 +0200
Subject: ++ Congratulations You Have Won ++

NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LOTTO WINNING

We are pleased to inform you from ZENEX LOTTERY. of the Lottery Held
on 25th of April 2005, which your e mail address happens to, be One of
our category (A) winner, from the announcement today 2nd,2005
as one of our lucky winners of the ZENEX LOTTERY draws.
Participants in the draws were selected through a computer ballot
System 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 are 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 7-8-40-15-3-49 and consequently won our lottery
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
US$2,200,000.00 In cash, this is the winning payout for First category Winners.
This is From the total prize money of US$15.5 Million shared among the winners
In the First category.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your winnings should be claimed from our paying Agents. (Seeffs
Finance & Security 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.

To begin your claim, please contact our paying agent/company who also
Will be your claims agent.

SOL SIYABONGA
CLAIMS MANAGER
SEEFFS FINANCE & SECURITY LIMITED.
MELVILLE,
SOUTH AFRICA
TEL: +27-72 099 4870
FAX: +27-72 013 3439
EMAIL:seeffs_southafrica@seeffsfinance.com

For due processing and remittance of your prize money, you are to
contact your claims agent not later than two weeks after notification.
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 provided below in
every one of your correspondences with your claims agent.
REFERENCE NUMBER: ZAR 23457677/2005 BATCH NUMBER: 79-124-WAN SERIAL
NUMBER: 818-09 Also to begin your Claim send to your claims agent the
Following information.

1) BATCH AND REFFERENCE NUMBERS
2) FULL NAMES
3) MAILING ADDRESS
4) PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
5) AMOUNT WON.

Congratulations.

Sincerely,

THE AWARDS MANAGER,
ZENEX LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA.
9 CHURCH STREET
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.

N.B.You are obliged to donate 10% of your claim to a Charity
organization in South Africa, Any breach of confidentiality on the part
of the winners will result to disqualification.
Please do not reply to this mail, Contact your claims agent

Anti-fraud resources: