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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: EUROMILLONES LOTERIA <euromillo@yahoo.es>
Reply-To: macastro_fidelity@yahoo.es
Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:28:12 +0100
Subject: 05 / 02 /08


Euromillones loteria international
C/ROMERO NO 12
28204 MADRID,
SPAIN.

5 FEBRUARY 2008
FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
REFRENCE NUMBER: LDN/99415803/08
BATCH NUMBER: 08/1332/00
ATTN: LUCKY WINNER
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION, FINAL NOTICE.
We are pleased to inform you the release OF todays results of the
EUROMILLIONES LOTERIA INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM held on the 1 =
FEBRUARY 2008.
Your email address was attached to the ticket number 025 - 11464992 -
750 with serial number 2113 - 05 drew the lucky numbers 13 - 15 - 22 -
37 - 39 - 45 which consequently won the lottery in the 3rd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of EUR615,810.00 (SIX =
HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND TEN EUROS) in cash credited =
to file REFRENCE NUMBER: LDN/99415803/08.This from a total cash prize of =
EUR10,468,77,00 (TEN MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND, AND =
SEVENTY SEVEN EUROS) shared among the seventeen international winners in this =
category.
CONGRATULATIONS! .
Your fund is now deposited with a security company insured in your
email address. Due to mixed up of some numbers and email addresses, we ask =
that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been =
processed and your money remitted to your nominated account, as this is a =
part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking =
advantage of this program by participants. All participants were selected =
through a computer ballot system drawn from 55,000 email addresses from =
Asia, Europe, Australia ,Africa, North and South America as part of our =
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM , which we conduct once every year.
To begin your claim, please contact your claims agent, MRS MARIA CASTRO =
Foreign Operations Manager, FIDELITY SECURITY COMPANY S.A. on Tell: 00 34 605 =
714 449 , Fax: 00 34 912 919 579 and email (macastro_fidelity@yahoo.es) for =
processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated account of your =
choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 29 FEBRUARY =
2008. After this date all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE =
ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. And also be informed that 10% of your =
lottery wining belongs to FIDELITY SECURITY COMPANY S.A., because they are =
your claims agent. This 10% will be remitted after you have received your =
winning fund into your acccount, because the fund is insured in your name =
already.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in every of your
correspondence with us or your agent Furthermore, should there be any
change of your address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible. =
Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for being a =
part of our INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM.
Sincerely,
JOSE SENNA
VICE PRESIDENT
=

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