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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:15:21 -1200
Subject: DEAR SHELL BINEFICIARY


Shell Petroleum Development Company of
Nigeria



=======================================================================================
Shell Industrial Area, Rumobiakani, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Tel: +234 803 744 5335


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BATCH REF: OCT/008/YY

This is to inform you that you have won a prize money
of Three Million United States Dollars (US$1,000,000.00) for
the 2008 International E-mail Draw which is Organized
by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

SPDC collects all the email addresses of the people
that are active online, among the millions that
subscribed to Yahoo, Aol, Walla, Gmail, Russian Mail
and Hotmail and few from other e-mail providers. Six
people are selected yearly to benefit from this
promotion and you are one of the Selected Winners.

PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM

Winners shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement
Center. Shell Award must be claimed not later than 15
days from date of Draw Notification. Any Prize not
claimed within this period will be forfeited.

Stated below is your identification number:
REFERENCE NUMBER: SPDC-081511

This numbers fall within the Nigerian Location file,
you are requested to contact our fiduciary agent in
Port Harcourt [Dr.Donald Brown] with the details
below and send your winning identification numbers to him;


E-Mail: d_brown1970@hotmail.com
TEL: +2348037445335

He shall immediately commence the process that will
facilitate the release of your fund to you.

Congratulations!! once again.

Yours in service, Dr. (Mrs.) Lynda Johnson [Publicity
Secretary]


Anti-fraud resources: