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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: "kelvin smith" <smith_616@msn.com>
Reply-To: smithclaimsoffice@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 04:49:35 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION..........CONGRATULATIONS!!!

FREE LOTTERY PROMOTION INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
9 Chaucer House
Churchill gardens
London, SW1V 3DW
United Kingdom.
 

This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL
LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL/ WORLD GAMING
BOARD held on the 14th of January, 2006.
Due to  the mix up of numbers,the results were
released on the 17th of January, 2006. Your e-mail
address attached to ticket number: 4156189324 under
agent ID: 110 which subsequently won you the lottery
in the 3rd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout
of 1,000,000.00EUR (One Million EUR) in cheque drawn
in your favour as beneficiary and covered with HIGH
INSURANCE POLICY.
Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that
you keep your winning information confidential until
your claims has been processed and your money remitted
to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid
double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program
by some participants.
All participants were selected through a computer
ballot system drawn from only Microsoft users from
over 20,000.00 companies and 3,000,000 individual
email addresses and names from all over the world.
To begin your lottery claim, please contact our agent
below that have been appointed for the processing of
your claim with the email address below:
CITY/ COUNTRY:   London, United Kingdom.
               EMAIL:  smithclaimsoffice@yahoo.co.uk
Note that all winning must be claimed not later than
14days of receiving this notification. After this date
all unclaimed, funds will be included in the next
stake.           
Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications please remember to quote your WINNING
NUMBER and AGENT NUMBER in all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do
inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff
and thank you for being part of our promotional
program.
Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically
disqualified.
Yours faithfully,
Mr Kelvin Smith
==============================================
 
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