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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: "ONLINE UK LOTTERY" <onlineuklottery0@msn.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 10:00:17 +0000
Subject: YOU HAVE WON !!!!!

THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
P.O.BOX.1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369


WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the draw (#989) of the UK NATIONAL
LOTTERY, online Sweepstakes International program held on wed 15th june,
2005 Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with
Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers:07-11-12-37-42-45(bonus no.47),
which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus
bonus.You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of
£28,000,000,00{Twenty eight million Great Britain pounds sterlings only) in
cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.This is from a huge total cash to be
shared amongst the {10} lucky winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus
bonus. All participants for the online version were selected randomly from
World Wide Web sites through omputer draw system and extracted from over
100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online.
This promotion takes place weekly.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet
representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of
this, your £28,000,000,00{Twenty eight million Great Britain pounds
sterlings only) would be released to you by any of our payment offices 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 claiming and unwarranted abuse of this
program. Please be warned.

To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary
agent: MR BRIGHT ALEXANDER
Email: debora_williams101@yahoo.co.uk


Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.

Yours faithfully,
Richard K. Lloyd.

Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program


Anti-fraud resources: