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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: "julia_smiths25 Gazeta.pl" <julia_smiths25@gazeta.pl>
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 23:49:31 -0700
Subject: YOU HAVE WON USD$500,000.00


*THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
UK HEAD OFFICE
SUITE 23-30,LION TOWERS
CENTRAL LONDON
ENGLAND*

*Dear Winner,*

We are please to announce you as one of the 10 lucky winners in the
FreeLotto draw held on the 20th May 2008. All 10 winning addresses were
randomly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international emails.Your email
address emerged along side 9 others as a category 2 winner in this year's
Annual FreeLotto Draw.Consequently,you have therefore been approved for a
total pay out of *US$500,000 (Five hundred thousand United States dollars*)
only.

The following particulars are attached to your lotto payment order:
(i) winning numbers: 37-13-43-85-67-11
(ii) email ticket number: FL754/22/76
(iii) lotto code number: FL09622UK
(iv) the file Ref number: FL/04/736207152/UK

Please contact the underlisted claims officer as soon as possible for the
immediate release of your winnings:

*Mr.Micheal Abrahams
Cordinator For Africa
The Freelotto Company
email:michealsm000@webmail.co.za <email%3Amichealsm000@webmail.co.za>*
*Tel:27 73 443 5913*
*Fax:27 86 529 0021*

N.B:Steps to claiming your prize;
1.Please quote your Reference number in all correspondence with the
claims officer.
2.Winners should send to claim officer account detail or address
where they want their prize paid or sent.
3.Winners must send thier names,address,telephone number
and means of identification (international passport or drivers
licence)to claim officer, via email or fax, to process the immediate payment
of your prize. Once again on behalf of all our staff.

*CONGRATULATIONS!!!*
*Sincerely,
Julia Simsom Smith.
Promotions Manager
The Lotto company
Europe & AFrica.* -------------------------------------------------

Anti-fraud resources: