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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: "Prize organiser" <uptowngold@workmail.co.za>
Date: Wed, 03 May 2006 02:11:46 -0600
Subject: Congratulations

THIRD CATEGORY WINNER

After a successful completion of the third category draws of the UPTOWN
GOLD
SWEEPSTAKES SPECIAL, held on 30TH APRIL 2006, we are pleased to
inform you of the official announcement today that you have emerged one of
the winners of the CLEARWATER CHAMPION SWEEPSTAKES SPECIAL PROGRAMS, which
is
part of our promotional draws. Participants were selected through a
computer
ballot system drawn from 25,000 names/email addresses of individuals and
companies from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle
East, and New Zealand as part of our International Promotions Program.

You/Your company, attached to ticket number 999-67-1105, with serial number
235-90 drew the lucky numbers 8, 12, 31, 44, 77, 40, (10), and consequently
won in the Third Category. You have therefore been awarded a lump sum pay
out of US$1,900,000.00 in cash, which is the winning payout for third
category winners. This is from the total prize money of US$111,020,000.00
from which Fourteen international winners in the Third category will be
shared.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your fund is now deposited with MIDRAND SECURITY SERVICES, insured in your
name. To avoid mix up of numbers and names of any kind, we request that you
keep this award strictly from public notice until the entire process of
transferring your claims has been completed, and your certified banker's
Cheque sent to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program. We also wish
to bring to your notice our end of year (2006) high stakes where you stand
a
chance of winning up to US$2.3 billion; we hope that with a part of your
prize you will participate.
Please contact your claims agent immediately, to begin your claims process;

MR.DAVID MOLEPE.
CHIEF CLAIMS MANAGER,
MIDRAND SECURITIES LTD.
PHONE: +27 73 9749239
EMAIL:davidmolepe@netscape.net

for due processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated
account of your choice. Remember, you must contact your claims agent within
a week of receiving this mail.

NOTE: To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to
quote your reference and batch numbers provided below in every one of your
correspondence with your claims agent.

REFERENCE NUMBER: CLW-424ZA13-06
BATCH NUMBER: 71823LT-ZA6

Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotions program.

Sincerely,
WINNIE HENS MRS
THE LOTTERY COORDINATOR,
UPTOWN GOLD SWEEPSTAKES SPECIAL.
236 PINE ROAD,
RADIOCOP, JOHANNESBURG.
2194 SOUTH AFRICA.

N.B. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result
to
disqualification. Please do not reply to this mail. Rather, contact your
claims agent whose credentials are listed above. All staff of UPTOWN
GOLD Trust,MIDRAND Securities Ltd and members of their family as well as
South Africans of all ages are barred from this lottery.



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