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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: "colin stuart" <colinstuart@grandonlinesweep2005.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 10:34:12 +0000
Subject: ONLINE WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!!!!!!!!!!

ONLINE SWEEP LOTTERY
Agent ID:23009
UNIT 1 HOWLEY PARK CLOSE
LEEDS. LS27 0BW

UNITED KINGDOM

Ref:LSUK/2231/81/04 Batch:
OBW/A10-234


WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw of the ONLINE Sweepstake Lottery
International programs held on the 5th of June, 2005 in LEEDS, UNITED
KINGDOM.Note this lottery draw was not entered by you,All participants were
selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draw system and
extracted from over 100,000 companies. This promotion takes place annually
Your e-mail address attached to ticket(winning) number: 564 5600545 188 with
Serial number 5447/02 , the lucky numbers: 19-6-26-17-35-7, which
subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd draw category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$2,500,000.00
(Two million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited
to file ktu/9023118308/03.This is from a total cash prize of USD$25 Million
dollars, shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners in this
category.Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our
European booklet representative office.
In view of this, your US$2,500,000.00 (Two million, Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) would be released to you by our payment office in
Europe.Our European agent will immediately commence the process to
facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in
whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claims and
unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please
note.
Once you have been cleared by your fiduciary agent our attorney will contact
you as regard modalities, on how your winnings will get to you.As an oversea
winner, to file for your claim, please contact our online fiduciary agent:


MR.HENRY F. COSTER
email: henryfcoster@yahoo.co.uk
Fax:+448-701-213-851

Provide him with the information below:
1.Name:
2.Address:
3.Occupation:
4.Sex:
5.Country Of Residence:
6.Telephone Number:(include email address when sending fax)

If you do not contact your claims agent within 7 working days of this
notification, your winnings would be revoked. Winners are advised to keep
their winning details/information from the public to avoid fraudulent claim
(IMPORTANT) pending the transfer/claim by Winner.

Accept my hearty congratulations once again!

Regards

SIR COLIN STUART.
Online Lottery Co-ordinator.


Anti-fraud resources: