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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: "UNITED KINGDOM LOTTERY" <post_leaders@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 10:47:45 +0000
Subject: Award Notification.


The Promotions Manager,
The Lotto People
www.freelotto.com
PO Box 42
United Kingdom


Award Notification.

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today
24/08/05 of your selection as one of the five winners
of the promotional Free Lotto Sweepstakes held recently
as part of our EXPERIMENTAL BONANZA. You have therefore
been approved for a lump sum pay out of 1,400,000.00USD.
(One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars.)
We in the Free Lottery Sweepstakes is by this program,
Launching our model computer balloting lottery draws,
developed and designed to satisfy the cravings of the
ever-growing number of participants in our various
lottery programs. With funds accrued exclusively from
previous draws, payouts to all winners are guaranteed
and will be transferred in record time. After randomly
selecting 15,000 participants from an initial database
of 300,000 emails, all participants were selected through
a computer ballot system from the Middle East, Asia, Africa,
Canada, Europe, USA and South America as part our
international Promotions Program, which was conducted in view
of launching ourselves into the Sweepstakes Industry Worldwide
and zoning all participants by their respective continents from
across the globe, we produced an extensive list from which you
have emerged as one of the winners of the Grand Draw prize. You
are to contact our agents by email within a week of receiving
this notice. Please find full contact details below:

Mr.Williams Miller
External service manager,
Free lotto sweepstakes
United Kingdom
EMAIL: willymiller@myway.com
Website www.freelotto.com

In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in
every one of your correspondences with your claims agent

REF NO: MELI-T/ 17-F044262312
Batch No:901/00319/HLP
Zonal Draw No: GMLA2-003
Grand Draw No: 12099

Congratulations once again.

---------------------------------------------------------------
We also encourage you to visit our website at www.freelotto.com and
take your chance to play and become part of our daily winners.
Millions are won on a daily basis on one of the world's most
famous free lotto services.


Anti-fraud resources: