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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: "SunSweet Lotto" <info@sswlp.org>
Reply-To: sswlp@sify.com
Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 08:11:31 +0000
Subject: GOOD NEWS

FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
SWEETWIN LOTTO PROMO LOTTERY, UNITED KINGDOM. INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT,G.FLOOR (N. WING),ESTUARY HOUSE,PENINSULA PARK,EXETER,EX2
7XB,UNITED KINGDOM.

Dear Winner,

REF: OYL /26510460037/05
BATCH: 24/00319/IPD

AWARD NOTIFICATION/FINAL PAYMENT NOTICE.

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today, 5th May,2005, of
Winners of the SWEETWIN PROMO LOTTERY, UNITED KINGDOM,draws held on 29th
April, 2005.

Your email address attached to ticket number 023-0148-790-459, with serial
number 5073-11 drew the lucky numbers 43-11-44-37-10-43, and consequently
won the lottery in the 3rd category.

You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay Out of US$5,500.000.00
Million in cash credited to file REF NO.OYL/25041238013/05. This is from
total prize Money Of US$80,400,000.00 shared among the seventeen
International winners in this category.

All participants were selected through a computer Ballot System drawn from
25,000 email addresses from Australia, New Zealand, America, Europe, North
America and Asia as Part of International Promotions Program, which is
Conducted Annually.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Due to the mix up of some numbers and addresses, we ask that you keep this
Award strictly from Public notice until your claim has been processed and
released to you.

This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming by
participants of this program. We hope with a part of your prize, you will
participate in our mid-year high stakes US$1.3Billion International Lottery.

To begin your claim, please contact our Director,Claims/Remittance
Department:

Mr. Morris Jones
Director,Claims/Remittance Department,
SWEETWIN LOTTO PROMO LOTTERY,
EXETER,UNITED KINGDOM.
Email: morrisj@europe.com

He will process and ensure the release of your won prize Money.

Note that all prize money must be claimed not later than 20th May, 2005.
After this date, all funds shall be returned to our treasury as unclaimed
prize money.

In order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications, please remember to
quote your Reference and batch numbers in every of your correspondence with
our payment officer.

Congratulations once again!

Yours faithfully,

Ms. Vanessa Smith
The Promotions Manager, SWEETWIN LOTTO
PROMO LOTTERY, EXETER,UNITED KINGDOM.


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