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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: shellfoundation@netscape.net
Date: Fri, 08 Jul 2005 21:40:53 +0200
Subject: Notification of Grant Payment

Shell Community Heritage Trust Foundation
Tiffany House,
London LE 23SG, United Kingdom.

Ref No: SHELL/UK2357677/2005
Batch No: 341-FJ7-17-LN

Dear Sir/Madam

Notification of grant payment.

This is to notify you that you have been selected by the Board of
Trustees of the above International organization based in the
United Kingdom for a Cash Grant of US$1,200,000; for business,
economic, social and research developments in your community.
Shell Heritage Community Foundation, an independent society was
launched in 1985 by the Multi-National Shell Petroleum Company
with the objective of Human Growth and Community development.
In line with this year heritage award program, the foundation in
conjunction with the British Council is giving out Five Hundred
Million United States Dollars as specific International Assistance
Donations/Grants to over 150 international recipients worldwide
in different categories for Business development and Social
upliftment of their various communities.

Based on the promotions held last month, you/your company was
selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of
US$1,200,000 as grants from the Foundation in accordance with the
enabling act of Parliament.
All participants were selected through a computer balloting system
drawn from over 200,000 companies and individuals from Australia,
New Zealand, Africa, Europe, North America, South America and Asia
as part our International Heritage program.

Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep
this award strictly from public notice until your award has been
fully processed and your grant money remitted to you.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or
Unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.

You are required to Contact immediately the below Finance Company
For immediate processing and collection of your Grant
money with your Full Names, Telephone and mailing address.
Please quote your reference No. and batch No. in all correspondence.
Contact:

Thomas Palmer
Finance Coordinator
Windsor Finance UK
Tel: +44 703 194 6935
Fax: +44 703 194 6938
Email:finance_coordinator@windsorfinance.net



All Grant money must be claimed within one month on the receipt
of this Notification, after this date all unclaimed funds will be
returned back to the treasury as unclaimed fund.
Note that this Grant are administered by approved British Banks
and therefore subject to British Laws.
On behalf of the Board kindly accept our warmest congratulations.

Yours faithfully,

Steve Forbes
Vice-Presidents - Awards

NOTE. Any breach of confidentiality will result to instant disqualification.
PLEASE ALL CORRESPONDENCE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE FINANCE CO-ORDINATOR.



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