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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: "National Lottery" <free_lottery@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2005 08:35:44 +0000
Subject: DEAR WINNER.

THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
UK HEAD OFFICE
SUITE 23-30, LION TOWERS
CENTRAL LONDON
ENGLAND
www.freelotto.com

Dear Winner,
We are please to announce you as one of the 10 lucky winners in the Free
Lotto draw held on the 3th of November. All 10 winning addresses were
randomly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international Emails.Your email
address emerged alongside 9 others as a category 2 winner in this year's
Annual Free Lotto Draw. Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a
total pay out of 1,000,000 pounds (one million pounds) only. The following
particulars are attached to yourlotto payment order:

(i) Winning numbers: 37-13-43-85-67-11
(ii) Email ticket number: FL754/22/76
(iii) Lotto code number: FL09622UK
(iv) The file Ref number: FL/04/736207152/UK
Please contact the under listed claims officer as soon as possible for the
immediate release of your winnings:

Mr. kevin Aronin
Chief financial Director
The Free lotto Company
Tel +44-70-4012-5642
+44-70-4012-5671
Fax +44-87-1247-3201
Email:kevinaronin1959@yahoo.com.my
N.B: Steps to claiming your prize;

1. Please quote your Reference number in all correspondence with the claims
officer.
2. Winners should send to claim officer account detail or address Where they
want their prize paid or sent.
3. Winners must send their names, address, telephone number and means of
identification (international passport or drivers license) to claim officer
to process immediate payment of their prize. Once again on behalf of all our
staff,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sincerely,
Mrs.Thelma Jones
Promotions Manager
The Lotto Company
UK & Europe.
-------------------------------------------------
The Free Lotto Awards is proudly sponsored by the Microsoft Corporation, the
Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell computers,Mackintosh and a conglomeration of
other international IT companies. The free lotto internet draw is held once
in a year and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and
computers worldwide. We are proud to say that over 200 Million Euros are won
annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.
-------------------------------------------------
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 service


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