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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: smartlottoinc@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2005 19:30:43 +0200
Subject: ++ congratulations you have won *****


NOTIFICATION OF YOUR LOTTO WINNING

we are pleased to inform you from SMART ELECTRONIC LOTTO INC of the announcement today, 10TH oF August 2005 as one of the lucky winners of The SMART ELECTRONIC Electronic Lotto Inc Lotto draws, held on the 4TH Of AUGUST 2005 as part of Our e-business promotional draws end.
Participants in the draws were selected through a computer ballot
system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia,Australia, Europe, Middle East,as part of our electronic business Promotions.

You qualified for the draw as a result of your visiting various
websites we are running the Electronic-business promotions for.
You/Your Company email address, attached with REFERENCE NUMBER:SR-W1CAT , BATCH NUMBER: 209.345.SMLT. with serial number 1023-87 drew the lucky numbers 8, 21, 24, 33, 37, 60,98, and consequently won the 2005 2ND Quarter draw.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of
US$2,000,000.00 in cash, which is the winning payout for First category winners. This is from the total prize money of US$14,000,000.00 shared among the seven winners in the First category.

CONGRATULATIONS!
Your winnings should be claimed from our paying Agents. (MAMELODI Finance Limited) As we have notified them. Due to the mix that may arise from emails of winners and numbers we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.

We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our End
of year (2005) high stakes US$1.1 billion International Lottery. To
begin your claim, please contact our paying agent who also Will be your claim agent immediately:

MR. JOHN DUZE
MANAGER BROKERAGE SERVICE
MAMELODI FINANCE LIMITED
Email: johnduze@netscape.net
phone: +27-836-826830
Fax: +27-123499479

For due processing and remittance of your prize money,
Remember you must contact your claim agent not later
than 25TH OF AUGUST 2005 After this date, all funds
will be returned as unclaimed.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications, please remember to quote your reference
and batch numbers provided below in every one of your
correspondences with your claims agent.
REFERENCE NUMBER:SR-W1CAT
BATCH NUMBER:209.345.SMLT.

Also to begin your Claim send to your claims agent the following
information by email.

1)YOUR BATCH AND REFFERENCE NUMBERS and AMOUNT WON
2)YOUR FULL NAME
3)YOUR ADDRESS
4)A COPY OF YOUR ID (PASSPORT OR DRIVERS LISCENCE)
5)CONTACT TLEPHONE, MOBILE PHONE NUMBER AND FAX NUMBER
Congratulations once again from all our staff and
thank you for being part of our promotions program.

Sincerely,

THE LOTTO AWARDS MANAGER,
SMART ELECTRONIC LOTTO INC.
22 PRETORIUS STREET
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the
winners will result to disqualification. Please do not
reply to this mail. Contact your claims agent by emaiL or fax.




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