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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: admin@AUSTRALIAONLINELOTTERY.COM
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 2005 12:46:13 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY
(IN AFFILIATION WITH THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY)
81 NEW GATE STREET
EC1 2PE
LONDON
UNITED KINGDOM

5th August, 2005

FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
INTERNATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT

REF NO: AL/9800/145700/04
BATCH NO: 57214/0013/1AL

Dear Winner,

RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE MONEY OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND $US DOLLARS

We are pleased to inform you of the results of the AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY International sweepstakes promotion programme held on the 4th of August 2005 in London, United Kingdom. Your email address attached to ticket number 566-114658 with serial number 760115-04 drew the lucky numbers 09-23-65-11-45, which consequently won the lottery in the second category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of $USD 100,000.00(One Hundred Thousand US Dollars only) in cash credited to the file with reference number AL/9800/145700/04

This is from a total cash prize of $USD 1,000,000 (One million US Dollars) shared amongst 10 international winners in this category.

Your prize money is now available for collection and has been deposited with a financial security firm. Please note that your reference and batch numbers are the key to your funds; you are to keep this confidential until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account as this is part of our protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking of advantage of this program by participants

You may not have played any lottery, as all participants were selected electronically, through a computer ballot system drawn from 5,000 search engines and over 50,000 individual email addresses from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America as part of our International sweepstakes promotions programme, which we conduct once every year.

To begin your lottery claim please contact your claims agent MR. SAMUEL DUKE, Foreign Service Manager of Global Assurance and Securities on ++44 796 304 9639 or alternatively email him at GLOBALASSURANCE@HOTMAIL.CO.UK for processing and remittance of your prize money. Remember all prize money must be claimed not later than the 15th of August 2005. After this date all funds will be returned to the AUSTRALIAN LOTTERY as unclaimed and will be recycled into the next years promotion programme.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence with your agent or us. Furthermore, should there be any change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thank you for being a part of our promotions program.

Yours Sincerely,
Jessy Clarck
Vice President


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