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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 by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Ness Online <ness@nessonline.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2006 16:12:33 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: FROM: MR. MARTIN VAN DIRK


FROM: MR. MARTIN VAN DIRK
NESS LOTTERY ONLINE.
LOTTERY AND GAMING CORPORATION,
END OF THE QUATER LOTTERY,
WINNING NUMBER: ANL/DGS/06315369
OUR DEAR WINNER,
YOU WERE SELECTED AS THE PRIZE WINNER OF THE SUM OF EUR.250,000 (TWO HUNDRED AND FIFITY THOUSAND EURO) BY THE NESS (EUROPE) LOTTERY AND GAMING CORPORATION. THE WINNING EMAIL ADDRESS WAS SELECTED FROM A DATA BASE OF INTERNET E-MAIL USERS AND ADDRESSES, FROM WHICH YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS CAME OUT AS THE WINNING COUPON.
WE THEREBY CONTACT YOU TO CLAIM YOUR WINNING AMOUNT QUICKLY AS THIS IS A QUARTERLY LOTTERY. FAILURE TO CLAIM YOUR WIN WILL RESULT INTO THE REVERSION OF THE WINNING SUM TO OUR FOLLOWING QUARTER. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR APPROVED AGENT FOR YOUR REGION WITH YOUR WINNING NUMBER AND TELEPHONE CONTACT NOW (EXPIRING DATE, 14TH OF OCTOBER, 2006):
NESS LOTTERY (ONLINE) AGENCY
MARTIN VAN DIRK (DIRECTOR OF CLAIM)
DIRK CONSULTS
E-MAIL: martinsdirkbv@aim.com
E-MAIL: martinsdirkbv@mail.lawguru.com
TEL: +31 62 252 5068
FAX: +31 84 723 1270

REGARDS,
MR. M. DIRK.
FOR: EURO/NESS LOTTERY ONLINE.

Anti-fraud resources: