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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: POWERBALL LOTTERY <infolotto@iol.cz>
Reply-To: claimsdeptunit1@live.com
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:21:17 GMT
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?B?WU9VIEhBVkUgV09OICijNTAwLjAwMC4wMChHLkIuUCk=?=




PowerBall Online Lottery
P=2E O=2E Box 4279
Liverpool=2C L70 1NL UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref=3A MELI-T/ 17-F044262312
Batch=3A7056490902/188

Dear Sir/Madam=2C
We are delighted to inform you that your Email Account have won you the
Sum of =A3500=2C000=2E00 GBP which is Equivalent to (=24917=2C956=2E00 U=
SD)=2Efrom the
PowerBall Lottery program held in London=2EYour e-mail address attached =
to
ticket number=3A023-0148-790-459 ( 03-06)=2CSerial number 7917/06=2Cdrew=
the lucky
number=3A 29=2E
You are to contact the Claims Officer for further details=2C with the
following=3A

Ref No=3A MELI-T/ 17-F044262312
Batch=3A 7056490902/188
Serial Number=3A 7917/06

Details to Contact Claims Officer

Name=3A Mr=2EWilliam Wlcox
Email=3Aclaimsdeptunit1=40live=2Ecom
Tel=3A +44-703-196-4995

PAYMENT PROCESSING FORM
1=2E Full Names=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
2=2E Address=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
3=2E Age=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
4=2E Sex=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
5=2E Marital Status=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
6=2E Occupation=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
7=2E Phone numbers=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
8=2E Fax number=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E
9=2E Country=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E

Congratulation once more

Yours Faithfully=2C
Mrs=2ERose Wolfe
Online Co-ordinator=2E

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