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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: freelotto1@webmail.co.za
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2006 19:36:44 -0800
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION'''(Very Important)

Award Notification.

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today
04/03/06 of your selection as one of the five winners of
the promotional Free Lotto Sweepstakes held recently as
part of our EXPERIMENTAL BONANZA. You have therefore been
approved for a lump sum pay out of 1,400,000.000USD.(One
Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars.)

We in the Free Lottery Sweepstakes is by this
program,Launching our model computer balloting lottery
draws, developed and designed to satisfy the cravings of
the ever-growing number of participants in our various
lottery programs. With funds accrued exclusively from
previous draws, payouts to all winners are guaranteed and
will be transferred in record time.

After randomly selecting 15,000 participants from an
initial database of 300,000 emails all participants were
selected through a computer ballot system from the Middle
East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, USA and South America
as part our International Promotions Program, which was
conducted in view of launching ourselves into the
Sweepstakes Industry Worldwide and zoning all participants
by their respective continents from across the globe, we
produced an extensive list from which you have emerged as
one of the winners of the Grand Draw prize.

When this programme takes place,email addresses of unknown
individuals(ghost Participants) are drawn from all over the
world.Their email addresses are attached to Certain
numbers.If by chance, a certain email address(with numbers
attached) tallies With some lucky numbers,email
confirmation is being sent to the owners of those
Addresses.The winnings addresses are selected with the help
of a complicated Electronic email balloting system as
earlier stated.Your claim agent is-

MR. CLIFF ZUMA
Email: cliffzuma@hotmail.com
External service manager,
Free lotto sweepstakes
South Africa
Tel:+27-78-235-0542
www.freelotto.com

In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,
please remember to quote Your reference and batch numbers
in every one of your correspondences with your claims agent
Mr Cliff Zuma

REF NO: MELI-T/ 17-F044262312
Batch No:901/00319/HLP
Zonal Draw No: GMLA2-003
Grand Draw No: 12099

1.Winners should send to claim officer account detailed
address where they want their prize paid or sent.
2.Winners must send their names,address,telephonenumber and
means of identification (international passport or drivers
licence)to claim officer, via email or fax, to process the
immediate payment of your prize.

Congratulations once again.
Sincerely,

The Promotions Manager,
The Lotto People
www.freelotto.com
Randburg
PE3 8XH
South Africa.



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