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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.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Michael Smith" <michaelsmith@asbaplanet.com>
Reply-To: richard_hans@tiscali.co.uk
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 11:39:01 +0000
Subject: Congratulations!!!

The National Lottery Logo
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 (#458) of the THUNDERBALL WINNING under the UK NATIONAL LOTTERY,online Sweepstakes International program held on tuesday 5TH
 of October,2005.
 Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188
with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers  
Ball number 7 Ball number 9 Ball number 13 Ball number 17 Ball number 34 Thunderball number 12
which subsequently won you the lottery of the Jackpot Prize.You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of  Four million pounds sterling in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.All participants for the online version were selected randomly fromWorld Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listedonline. 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 Four million pounds sterling 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.Richard hans.
Goodluck from me and members of staff of the UK
NATIONAL LOTTERY.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Smith.
Online coordinator for UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program.

                    ©  Copyright 1994-2005 The UK National Lottery Inc.
                     All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guidelines.

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