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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: BRITISH POWERBALL HEADQUARTERS <powerballnotificationdesk@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2006 19:22:18 -0500
Subject: BRITISH INTERNATIONAL POWERBALL LOTTERY DV. WINNER

 
            BRITISH INTERNATIONAL POWER BALL LOTTERY
               REGISTERED UNDER THE BRITISH GAMING ACT OF 1969.
                              #14, FULHAM ROAD, LONDON. UK.
                                      Prize  ref: BTL/101OXI/02
                                         Batch: 17/211/0374
 
Dear Sir/Madam,
                               
                         NOTICE OF CONSOLATION PRIZE WINNING
 
This email confirms that you have been notified by the BRITISH INTERNATIONAL POWERBALL LOTTERY DV. Draw on Wed the 12th July, 2006.
 
We wish to congratulate you on the selection of your email coupon number which was selected among the eight (8) lucky consolation prize winners in this category.
 
Your E-mail ID identified with ticket number: 56475600545 188, Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 09, 23, 32, 35, 36, 40 (bonus no.) which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. match 05 plus bonus.
 
You have been approved to claim a total sum of £1,000,000.00 GBP (One million pounds sterling) in cash credited to file no KTU/9023118308/06.
 
All participants for the online version were selected randomly by Electronic Ballot Selection System (EBSS) extracted from over 100,000 email addresses that are listed online and zoning all participants by their respective continents from across the globe. Your email ID included among the 100,000 different email addresses that where submitted by our partner international email provider companies (PIEPCS). This promotion takes place weekly.
 
For security reasons,
you are to keep all winning information away from the general public to avoid fraudulent claim from a third party, any breach of confidentiality by direct/indirect exposure of winning information will lead to an irreversible disqualification.Please be warned.
NOTE. There will be no further extension of deadline for any winner who is unable to finalise claims procedures before the deadline date of fourteen working days effect from the date of this notification. After this period unclaimed funds will be returned to British Gaming Board as unclaimed. Please note, in order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications always remember to quote your ticket number, serial number in all correspondence.

To file for your claim, please write to the PAYMENT PROCESSING DEPARTMENT. Name and email address below:
 
    CONTACT PERSON: MR. COLE ADAMS
    E-mail: 
coleadamsesq02@hotmail.co.uk
    Tel:  +447031891946,  +447024018523, +447024078649
    Fax  +448704902963
 
When contacting the PAYMENT PROCESSING DEPARTMENT include the information below for verification:
 
1. Ticket number.....
2. Serial number......
3. Lucky numbers.....
4. Amount Won........
5. Full names....
6. Date of Birth.........Sex.......
6. Contact Address.....
8. Nationality....
9. Occupation.....
10. Phone number......
Furthermore, should there be any change in your address, do inform the payment processing department as soon as possible.

Congratulations from me and staffs of the British International Powerball Lottery Promotion.
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
MR. JOHN MOORE (coordinator)
For: British International Powerball Lottery Promotion.
You must be 16 or over to claim a prize.
Flag of United Kingdom

Anti-fraud resources: