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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: "electronic lotto" <snakem@hushmail.com>
Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 09:03:38 -0800
Subject: you won 1.3 million US dollars


>FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS. WINNING
>NOTICE FOR CATEGORY "A" WINNER

>Dear Lucky Winner,
>
>RE: ELECTRONICLOTTO PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION
>
>We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded
>annual
>final draws of Lotto International United Kingdom programs.
>The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of
>two million e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked
by
>an
>advanced automated random computer search from the internet. No
>tickets
>were sold.After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address
>emerged
>as one of two winners in the category A with the following:
>
>Ref Number: PC 390 ES 214
>Batch Number: 26371545-LNI/2004
>Ticket Number: PCP 002 871
>
>You as well as the other winner are therefore to receive a cash
>prize
>of US$1300000(ONE MILLION AND THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS ONLY)
>each from
>the total payout.Your prize award has been insured with your e-mail
>address
>and will be transferred to you upon meeting our requirements,
>statutory
>obligations, verifications, validations and satisfactory report.
>To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are
>advised
>to contact our licensed and accredited claims agent for category
"A" winners by email with the information below:
>
>Mr. Matthew Burton
>Remittance Department Director,
Electroniclotto ltd
Email:
>

Anti-fraud resources: