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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: "Elena Gomez" <e_gomez6@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 13:57:08 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION.

MADRID OFFICE
THE FREELOTTO S.L
CALLE MENDEZ ALVARO 30
28080, MADRID
SPAIN

Dear Winner,
 
We are please to announce to you as one of the 10 lucky winners in the FreeLotto . draw held on Saturday the 17th Day of December 2005. All 10 winning addresses were randomly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international emails. Your email address emerged alongside 9 others as category 2 winners in this year's Annual FreeLotto . Draw.
 
Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of €1,000,000 (One Million Euros) only. The following particulars are attached to your lotto payment order:
 
(i) Winning numbers: 37-13-43-85-67-90
(ii) Email ticket number: FL754/22/76
(iii) Lotto code number: FL09622ES
(iv) The file Ref number: FL/04/736207152/ES
 
Please contact the under listed claims officer via phone or email josemariadeoro11@netscape.net
 
(0034-636-046-414) as soon as possible for the immediate release of your winnings:
Mr. Santiago Molina De La Paz
Chief Financial Director
The Freelotto S.L
TEL: 34-636-046-414

2. Please quote your Reference number in all correspondence with the claims officer.
3. Winners should send to claim officer account detail or address where they want their prize deposited or transfer.
4. Winners must send their names, address, and telephone number and means of identification (international passport or drivers license numbers) to claim officer to process immediate payment of their prize.
 
Winners are advice to keep this award confidential until prize are claimed to avert incidence of impersonation by unscrupulous elements.
 
Once again on behalf of all our staff,
 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
 
Sincerely,

ELENA GOMEZ
Promotions Manager
The FreeLotto. S.L
 
 
-------------------------------------------------

The FreeLotto. Awards is proudly sponsored by the Microsoft Corporation, the Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers, Mackintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies. The freelotto 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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