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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: "sir james peters" <lottery_awards@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: primewinner@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 01:46:48 +0000
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF WINNING!!!

The National Lottery Logo

PRIME LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
LOTTERY PROMOTION
Customer Service
17-19 cole Street,
baines Middlesex TW18 4TP
United Kingdom.
Ref: LSUK/2031/8161/04
Batch: R3/A312-59
              
                        WINNING NOTIFICATION:
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today
of winners, of the International Prime Lottery promotion . You /your
company's e-mail address, attached to ticket number 41423313541 24,
with serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers 19-6-26-17-35-7, and
consequently won in category C (third category).
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of  (Six Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand British Pounds(₤675,000.00)  in cash credited to file REF NO. REF:PLI/4080318306/04. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 30,000 names from Australia, New  Zealand, America, Asia, Europe, USA and North America as part our International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually.
This is to help encourage the rapid use of microsoft ware users and to
promote the wide usage of the internet within the  global world, under the able sponsorship of microsoft ware wizard Bill  Gates, Sultan of Brunei, together with the USA, AUSTRALIA , & a few members  of the  EU states.
Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, 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.
Please contact your fiduciary agent/claims officer immediately:
MR.ANDERSON ROBERT
phone number:+447031956104( 7:00-1700 GMT)
Email:  primewinner@gmail.com
Provide him with the information below:
1.Name:............................................................................
2.Address:.........................................................................
3.Marital
Status:..................................................................
4.Occupation:.....................................................................
5.Age:................................................................................
6.Sex:................................................................................
7.Nationality:.......................................................................
8.Country Of
Residence:.......................................................
9.Telephone
Number:...........................................................
10.Fax
Number:...................................................................
11.Draw Number
above:.......................................................
12.Amount won...........................................
 
 In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference number in every one of your
correspondences with your officer. Furthermore, should there be any
change of your address, do inform your claims officer as soon as
possible.
Meanwhile,to clearify your doubts on how come you were selected and
frequently questions that you may likely ask(HOW DID I ENTER THIS
CONTEST? HOW DID YOU GET MY EMAIL ADDRESS? HOW DID I WIN?).Please
note that all email address/names registered with different and various
websites/pages in the internet were selected through a computerized
ballot  machine system from the internet, randomly drawn from over 100,000.00
COMPANIES and 30,000,000.00(INDIVIDUALS PRIVATE/PERSONAL) Email
Addresses and names from all over the world; thus, your own EMAIL ADDRESS happens  to have been luckily selected under the third category.

Note: Anybody under the age of 16! is automatically disqualified.
Congratulations again from all our staff.
Yours Sincerely,
SIR James Peters
The Director Promotions,
Prime Lottery International.

Anti-fraud resources: