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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: PROMO INT <promoint000@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:35:58 -0800 (PST)
Subject: congratulations


OVERSEAS STAKES LOTTERY
INTERNATIONAL DUBAI U.A.E.
OFFICE: G-10 BILLAUR PALACE, 29

REF NUMBER; OSL/653/029/03
BATCH NUMBER; AT-040-SB06-03
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
DEAR SIR,

WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU, THAT AS A RESULT OF OUR RECENT LOTTERY DRAWS HELD ON 5TH JAN . 2007. YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS ATTACHED TO TICKET NUMBER 27522465896-DU. WITH SERIAL NUMBER 652-662 DREW LUCKY NUMBER
7-14-18-23-31-45 WHICH CONSEQUENTLY WON 2ND CATEGORY?
YOU HAVE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED FOR A LUMP SUM PAY OUT OF
150,000( ONE HUNDRED ANDFIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS).
NOTE: ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THIS LOTTERY PROGRAM HAVE BEEN SELECTED RANDOMLY THROUGH A COMPUTER BALLOT SYSTEM DRAWN FROM OVER 20,000 COMPANIES AND 30,000,000 INDIVIDUAL EMAIL ADDRESSES FROM ALL SEARCH ENGINES AND WEB SITES.
THIS PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR,AND IS PROMOTED AND
SPONSORED BY EMINENT PERSONALITIES LIKE THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI, MULTI CHOICE AND OTHER CORPERATE ORGANISATIONS.THIS IS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THE INTERNET AND COMPUTERS WORLDWIDE.
FOR SECURITY PURPOSE AND CLARITY, WE ADVISE THAT YOU KEEP YOUR WINNING
INFORMATIONS CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL YOUR CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED AND YOUR MONEY REMITTED TO YOU.THIS IS PART OF OUR SECURITY PROTOCOL TO AVOID DOUBLE CLAIMS AND UNWARRANTED ABUSE OF THIS PROGRAME BY SOME PARTICITANTS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPANTION IN OUR NEXT YEARS USD$50 MILLION SLOT.
YOU ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT OUR CLEARANCE OFFICER BELOW TO ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR WINNING AND SUBSEQUENT PAYMENTS.ALL WINNING MUST BE CLAIM NOT LATER THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE.
PLEASE NOTE, IN ORDER TO AVOID UNNECESSARY DELAY AND COMPLICATIONS REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR REFERENCE NUMBER AND BATCH NUMBERS IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE.
FURTHERMORE, SHOULD THERE BE ANY CHANGE OF ADDRESSES, DO INFORM OUR AGENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
CONGRATULATIONS ONCE MORE AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM.
NOTE; YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED IF YOU ARE BELOW 18 YEARS OF AGE.
SINCERELY YOURS,
MR. BAKO BELLO.
(LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR).
CLEARANCE OFFICER-DETAILS BELOW
NAME :DUKE ELLINGTON.
WINSECTION1@YAHOO.COM


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