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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: LOTTERY <infoibmlottery05@netscape.net>
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 04:38:09 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE WON! ( CONTACT YOUR AGENT)

IBM COMPUTER EMAIL LOTTERY INTERNPROMSATIONALOTION
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
www.IBM.COM
REF: IJPL/544259609/HR1
BATCH: BST/91993/A
AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION:
We are pleased to inform you of the release, of the long awaited results of the end of year IBM
COMPUTER EMAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM held on the 24th May
2005.You were entered as dependent clients with: Reference Number:NM/BF3534654/FB13, and
Batch number NM/572655/KOP.
Your email address attached to the ticket number:239707 drew the lucky winning number, which
consequently won the sweeptake in the first category, in four parts.
You have been approved for a payment of 500,000.00 Euro(FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO
ONLY.)in cash credited to file reference number:IPL/4249859609/WP1.
This is from a total cash prize of Five Million euros shared among the ten international winners in first
categories.
congratulations!!!!!
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 50,000 (Fifty thousand)
names of email users around the world, as part of our end of year international promotion program.
Due to mixed up of some names and addresses, we ask that you keep this award personal and
confidential, till your claims has been processed and your funds remitted to you.
This is part of our security measures to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of the
situation by other participants or impersonators.

To begin your claim,do file for the release of your winning by contacting your/our accredited agent
MRS. MICHELLE LAFARGUE
IBM COMPUTER E.MAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
TEL:+33 678 656 644
FAX.+33 678 656 644
Email: infoibmlottery05@netscape.net
website... www.ibm.com
They are your agent, and responsible for the processing and transfer of your winnings to you.
YOUR SECURITY FILE NUMBER IS W-91237-H°67/B4 (keep personal) Remember, your winning must
be claimed not later than (10-06-05).failure to claim your winning/fund will be added to next 10,000.000
euros international lottery program.Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform
your claims agent as soon as possible.
Once again, Congratulations.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Francis Arnold
Lottery Co-ordinator International.

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