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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: Glen Anderson <ym_microsoft@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:49:26 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CLAIMS APPROVED/CONTACT COURIER SERVICE FOR FUNDS DELIVERY...






FROM THE CLAIMS DEPARTMENT
===================================
YAHOO/MSN LOTTERY
Baley House, Har Road, Sutton, Greater London.
SM1 4te.
United Kingdom


ATTN: Sterling Kustmacher,

Batch Number: YM 09102XN
Ref Number: YM35447XN
Ticket Number: YM09788


Thanks for your email response. This is to inform you that we have successfully confirmed the information you sent to this office to enable us process and remit your winning amount to you. Firstly, I want to use this medium to once again congratulate you for being a winner of our email lottery programmes organized by YAHOO/MSN here in London, United Kingdom.

Please note that this Promotional Programmes tagged "Thanks for contributing to our financial Success" was sponsored and organized by the Yahoo Corporation in view of the Financial benefits YAHOO/MSN LOTTERY have received from its numerous customers either through adverts, hosting and personal emails. It is also important that I inform you that there was no sales of tickets as the draws was conducted by assigning various Individual email addresses to different ticket numbers for representation and privacy. Please note that this email addresses is normally supplied to us by free email services providers such as yahoo, hotmail, aol amongst others. However, we clearly spelt out in our lottery terms and condition various modalities which those who emerged lucky winners are to use in collecting their prize money.

For the remittance process to be carried out, those who are residing outside the United Kingdom are to use the services of our affiliate courier service company whose duty is to deliver their cheques to them in their house address while they are to bear the cost of delivery. Please note that for this option, delivery cannot be carried out to P.O. BOXES. However for the Courier delivery option which is for winners who do not reside close to London i.e. United Kingdom, you will be required to contact our affiliate courier company who will then ship your cheques or transfer their winning prize to them in their respective countries while they in turn pay the delivery expenses and proceed with the cheque to any bank in their country where the full value to the cheque will be paid to them.

Therefore, because you are not residing close to the United Kingdom, we have have forwarded your winning cheque and Certificate to the courier company who will be delivering it safely to you in your country. In line with this, you are advised to contact the courier company for the cost of delivering your winning cheque of Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Sterling safely to you in your country for cashing.

Please find details of the Courier Service Company below:

INORBIT COURIER SERVICE
CONTACT PERSON: MR. LAWRENCE FISHER SMITH
E-MAIL:inorbitcourierservicecompany@yahoo.co.uk
deliverypost@inorbit.com
PHONE: +44 702 401 8676
FAX: +44 700 593 1290

Please note that Contact should be established within twenty four hours of receiving this email so that details of the delivery of your cheque will be communicated to you. In establishing contact, the number: YM/35468/CPV should also be included, in your email amongst your full names, contact address, direct telephone numbers so that your letter can be honoured.

Furthermore, the number YP/35468/CPV is a very important and confidential order number which is to be included in your email to the courier company and carefully noted. Also, I must inform you that to avoid unwarranted abuse and wrongful claims, you are to keep your winnings confidential.

Once again we formally congratulate you for emerging a lucky winner of the YAHOO/MSN LOTTERY.

(Mr) Glen Anderson
Promotion Manager


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