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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: "Mrs. Susan Robson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <worldwilde2009@live.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:06:33 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS:YOU HAVE WON 2009 FROM YAHOO AWARD

THE YAHOO INTERNET LOTTERY AWARD CENTERIN
------------ LONDON-----------
United Kingdom
 
                        YAHOO, MSN, AOL, AND OTHER INTERNET (AWARDS 2009).
 
 
Dear: Email Owner,
The Prestigious LotteryUK is happy to announce to you as one of the 10 lucky winners in the
 
On-going UK Lottery Draw for the year, 2009. All 10 winning email addresses were randomly
 
Selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international emails from Canada, Australia, United
 
States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions
 
Program which is conducted quarterly, consequently, you have been approved for a total pay out
 
Of GBP800,000.00 (Eight HundredThousand British Pounds).
Be informed that your e-mail address falls within our United Kingdom representative office
 
Attached to Ticket Number: 100-309-7482, with Serial Number 513-10 drew the Lucky
 
Numbers 7, 14, 20, 33, 38, 43 and Bonus Number 5 and consequently you have won in the
 
Second Category. Therefore you have been approved for a lump sum pay out of GBP800, 000.00
 
(Eight HundredThousand British Pounds) in cash which is the winning payout for the year
 
2009 second category winners. Please be informed that you have to contact your claiming agent
 
on the necessary steps to take for the claiming of your funds with your winning details as stated above.
Do contact him with these details:
 
Mr. Don Smith
 
Tel: +44-709 2896559
 
 
 
Congratulations!! Once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions
 
program.
Sincerely,
 
Mrs. Susan Robson
 
(Awards Notification Officer)

Anti-fraud resources: