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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.

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Some comments about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: CRYSTAL SOFTWARE LOTTERY <itscloto@netscape.net>
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2006 15:41:54 +0200
Subject: CONFIRM THIS NOTIFICATION


CRYSTAL SOFTWARE LOTTERY
NETHERLANDS
Crystal software's lottery proudly announces today the winners of its
internet lottery program for this quarter. The lottery program is
conducted every quarter with email addresses of internet users. The
draws are usually from about 26,000 email addresses from all over the
world, which are selected from the internet randomly.
The draws are made in four categories using a special computer
balloting system.
Your receipt of this mail means that your email address has won in
category “D” of the draws. Your email address drew the winning numbers:
32:01:00:67:4 serial number 3232134, batch number Cy/45829/NL/05,
lottery ref number SL8455110 and security credited file numbers
01-37-44-85-486 and subsequently won the sum of $400,000 USD.
You are at this point advised to contact our NL agent below to begin
your claim:
Name: Mr.Jaapa Yo
Email: itscloto@netscape.net
Tel: +Phone: +31647248370
You will be given a form to complete and return same to any one of our
appointed financial trustees. Their winning/processing department will
validate your winning and provide information on the collection of your
prize.
All winning must be claimed not later than 20th of April 2006. After
this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake
You are advised to initiate contact with our agent within one weeks of
the receipt of this mail. Any prize whose collection is not initiated
within the stipulated time will be deemed unclaimed. We do urge you to
fully cooperate with us so that you could collect your winning.
In course of any change of address do inform our agent as soon as
possible.
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs N De Jong.
CRYSTAL SOFTWARE LOTTERY
www.lotto.nl

Anti-fraud resources: