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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: robertmark@freenet.de
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:46:26 +0100
Subject: UNCLAIMED LOTTO PRIZE PAYMENT NOTICE.


INTERNATIONAL LOTTO ORGANIZATION
Rue 222 Apakpa Hurtado De Mendoza 7H
44270,
Cotonou Republic du Benin

UNCLAIMED LOTTO PRIZE PAYMENT
NOTICE.

ATTENTION TO THE OWNER OF THIS EMAIL ADDRESS;

Winner in the
2nd category of our Euroafric free Net Lottery promotional award draws
held December 2007. I am writing in respect to your lotto winning prize
of $1.915,810.00(One Million, Nine hundred and fifteen thousand eight
hundred and ten US Dollars only) which you won through the email ballot
draws in our Euroafric Lotto Award in 2007 in the second category prize
winnings category.

We wish to inform you that your total prize money
of $1.915,810.00 has been returned to us by our Lotto claims Agent as
unclaimed prize after their initial letter to your address for your
payment was not successful, We are writing in regards to payment of your
Winnings to you.
You are here by requested to contact our Treasury
Office on telephone +2299-381-5509 or 002299-381-5509 and also e-mail
him via his mail address: (mr.marc_treasurydeptoffice_09@yahoo.fr) for
your immediate payment.Our Treasury officer\'s name is Mr.Marc Collins,
so refer this to him and contact him immediately for your unclaimed
lotto prize payment to you.

You should contact our Treasury Officer as
directed above for your payment, and do notify me as soon as you
received your payment from our Treasurer.

Thanks,
Mrs.Ann
Gomez.
President; Int\'l Lotto Org.







Anti-fraud resources: