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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: "CLAIM YOUR WINNING WITHOUT DELAY" <megabucks64@sify.com>
Date: Thu, 01 May 2008 02:44:37 +0900
Subject: CLAIM YOUR WINNING IMMEDIATELY


NEDERLANDS LOTTERY,
107,BILMERPLEINSTRAAT,
AMSTERDAM NEDERLANDS

Sir/Madam,

CONGRATULATIONS: YOU WON €2,500,000.00

We are pleased to inform you of the result of Euro Millions Lottery SPE,
which was held on the 30TH APRIL, 2008.
You were entered unaware as an independent email participant with: Ticket
Number: 8547-359-0925 with Serial Number-1409. Your email address attached
to Lucky Draw number: 9-12-13-25-14 with Bonus number 13 which consequently
won the Euro
Millions Lottery SPE lottery in the 3rd category. This lucky draw came
first in the B Category of the Sweepstake. You will receive the sum of
€2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Euros) only from our
authorized bank.

Because of some mix-up with sweepstake prizes, including the time limited
placed on the payment of your prize:, we advice that you keep all
information about this prize confidential until your funds, have been
transferred to you by our bank. You must adhere to this instruction,
strictly, to avoid any delay with the release of your funds. This program
has been abused severally in past, so we
are doing our best to forestall further
occurrence of false claims.

This sweepstake was conducted under the watchful eyes of 5000 spectators.
Your e-mail address was selected and came out first by an e-ballot draw from
over 200,000 e-mail addresses (personal and corporate e-mail addresses).
This program is sponsored by CFI Networks to compensate faithful internet
suffers around the globe.


Congratulations for becoming one of the few lucky winners. With
your permission, your e- mail will also be included in the next sweepstake
of €50 Million.

Your winning prize sum is now deposited in a special account with the
officially approved European Bank based in Holland the Netherlands -
Direktbank N.L. To begin your claim, contact the approved paying bank-
Direktbank N.L as they will guide you step by step towards claiming your
prize. PLEASE REPLY ONLY THROUGH THE EMAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED BELLOW


PHILLIP HENK COCU
Processing Department
Email: megabucks2008@sify.com
Web-Site: - www.direktbank.nl

Also give him the following information:-
YOUR FULL NAMES:-
CONTACT STREET ADDRESS:-
TELEPHONE NUMBERS-
CELLULAR PHONE NUMBER
FAX NUMBER:-
OCCUPATION:-
YOUR AGE:-
REF Number:
BATCH No: -

Your security file number is EUL/WIN/2008(keep personal).Failure to claim
your winning prize will obviously mean that your winning prize will be
re-staked in our next Lottery draws, so ensure that the needful is done now
and quickly too. Once again, accept our profound and sincere.

Congratulations on your winning. KINDLY SEND ALL INFORMATIONS TO ==
megabucks2008@sify.com for

Yours Sincerely,
Alicia Holland
Online Co-Ordinator Euro Millions SPE


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