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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: "THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bobby.marklottclaims@live.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:01:09 -0000
Subject: £750,000.00

THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
WESLEY HOUSE,
24 WILD COURT,
LONDON,
WC2B 4AU.

Dear Winner,
My name is Mrs. KEISHA HOWARD, and on the behalf of GBF INTERNATIONAL/FREELOTTO COMPANY OF UNITED KINGDOM, I wish to announce you as one of the 10 lucky winners in the Free Lotto draw held on the 1st of October 2009. Your email address emerged along side 9 others as a 2nd category winner in this year's Annual Free Lotto Draw.
Consequently, you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of £750,000.00 Great British Pounds (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds).The following particulars are attached to your lotto payment order:
(i) Winning numbers: 13-23-33-43-17-05
(ii) Email ticket number: FL754/22/76
(iii) Lotto code number: FL09622UK
(iv) The file Ref number: FL/04/736207152/UK
Please contact the under listed claims officer as soon as possible for the immediate release of your winnings:

Mr.Bobby Mark
NORTHGATE CONSULTS
DEPARTMENT OF CLAIMS
WESLEY HOUSE
4 WILD COURT,
LONDON.
WC2B 4AU
TEL: 44-776-0800-236
FAX: 44-207-526-2226
EMAIL: mr.bobbymark@live.co.uk

This email notification is auto-generated and it is valid for four weeks. Once again on behalf of all our staff, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sincerely,
Mrs. KEISHA HOWARD
The Free Lotto Awards is proudly sponsored by the Microsoft Corporation, the Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell computers Mackintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies. The free lotto internet draw is held once in a year and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide. We are proud to say that over 200 Million Dollars are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.
We also encourage you to visit various website online and take your chance to become part of our daily winners. Millions are won on a daily basis on one of the world's most famous free lotto service. Become part of our daily winners. Millions are won on a daily basis on one of the
world's most famous free lotto service.

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