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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: "Maria Iban Sanchez." <lotprimsweesta@netscape.net>
Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 13:28:18 +0200
Subject: LOTTERY AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION!


INTERNATIONAL LOTTO COMMISSION
C/GUZMAN EL BUENO,137 MADRID - ESPAÑA.
FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
REFRENCE: LP/26510460037/04
BATCH: 24/00319/IPD
ATTENTION ATTENTION:
Dear:SIR/MADAM
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement, of winners of the
LOTTERY PRIMITIVA SWEEPSTAKES/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS held on 30th of
April 2005. Your name is attached to ticket number 004-05117963
198,with serial number 99375 drew the lucky numbers 05-07-11-12-13-27, and
consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of (EUR1,500.000.00) One Million FiveHundred Thousand Euros in cash credited to file No:LP/26510460037/04.This is from total prize money of EUROS 80,400,000.00 shared among the twenty international winners in this category. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
25,000.00 names from Australia, New-Zealand, America, Europe,North America and
Asia as part of International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your fund is now insured to your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account. 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 end of year high stakes Euros 1.1 billion International Lottery.
To begin your claim, please contact your claim Agent from Lotteria Primitiva Sweeptakes International Director.Mr. Lemmes Garcias. FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER,
Email: lotteryprim@netscape.net Phone:+34 618 135 706.
For due processing and payment of your winning prize to you. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than two weeks. 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
the security company. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible. Congratulations again from all our staff and thank
you for being part ofour promotions program.
Sincerely,
Maria Iban Sanchez.

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