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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: "Pro lottery" <prolots@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <agentsn@myway.com>
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:37:47 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!

IWL/IPPAD.
REF: TL/0534/30/05
BATCH: 75/011/INL
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html

Your e-mail address has just won you £1.5Million GBP equivalents to US$2.5Million. Your winning Ticket No is: TL754/22/76, Ref No. TL/0534/30/05, Batch No. 75/011/INL, Award Nos. TL 22/15409 and Serial No. TL18/0014782. Contact your agent for more details via:

Mr. Frank Davies
Fax: + 27-866-009897
Email: agentsn@sify.com or agentsn@myway.com

Once again Congratulations. Your email address has brought to you an unexpected
luck.
Mrs. Helen Gomez. (Lottery coordinator)

Anti-fraud resources: