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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: "David Howell" <davidhowell888@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 01:35:02 +0400
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE


*[image: The National Lottery Logo] *
*The Lottery Coordinator
The National Lottery
P O Box 1010
Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM*
**
*CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE *
**
*Attn: *Jocylen A. Gementiza
* *
* **We hereby seek to your receipt that we all in National UK Lottery
congratulate you as you have been verified as a winner and you have been
found worthy to collect the lump sum of *£2,010,257 (Two Million, Ten
Thousand,
Two hundred and fifty-seven Pounds Sterling) *. *

*Your payment officer,Brian Hollis was here and he presented the documents
along with your clearance form which shows that you are the rightful winner
with ticket number 56475600545188 which he brought here.
*
**
*We are happy to inform you that after our verifications/investigations, the
payment has been finally approved to be made in your name as the real
winner.*

*You are advised to come down to my office here in London to sign the {fund
release order documents} to enable us wire the money into any bank account
of your choice or write you a check as you may want it on or before
Thursday, 28th September 2006 in our office. You are to come with this
documents. *
**
*1) Your international passport for identification. *
*2) Two copies of your passport photograph. *
*3) Your bank account information in the case of a transfer.*
**
*NB: in the event of your inability to travel down to London, you can
request for the documents to be mailed to you via Fedex courier service by
our registered contracted mailing officer AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE. The UK
National Lottery shall not pay the mailing fee as you are expected to come
down to London. You will sign and remail it back to us via same Fedex. You
will attach copies of the three items listed above. The name and email of
the Fedex officer is:
*
**
*Name: Kennedy Amadi
Email address: ** kennedy.amadi@gmail.com*
<http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ym/Compose?To=anthony_dike@zonai.com>

*Please let me know if you will be able to make it, if you cant, email
Kennedy to send you the documents and let me have a copy of the mail so that
i will hand over your documents to him. Also let me know if you would prefer
a check or a bank transfer. Note that The National UK Lottery will not be
responsible for your plane ticket fare or accomodation when you arrive. *

*Once again, congratulations on behalf of the National UK Lottery*
*I look forward to hear from you As soon as possible. *
**
*Sincerely,*
*Sir David Howell*
*National UK Lottery Coordinator.*

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