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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: MRS JANE FRANKLIN <noreply@aiam.org>
Reply-To: <gilbert_cole@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:18:11 +1100
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS AIAM 2011

Attn: Winner,
 
Congratulations REF:### AIAM/X99-83X/2011
 
Congratulations, you are the lucky winner in the CAR ONLINE LOTTERY 2011 Sponsored by ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS (AIAM). Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545188 with serial number: 5368/02 was the lucky numbers: 03-18-25-29-31-43 (bonus no.) Which subsequently won the lottery, in the first category i.e match 6 plus bonus. You are hereby been approved to claim a total sum of U.S. $ 7,000,000 (seven million United State dollars) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.
All names of participants and e-mail addresses were selected through the computer voting system drawn from 25,000 names from Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East and North America as part of our international promotion program which we conduct two times each year.
To begin your claims, please contact your claims agent;
Mr.Paul Williams (Foreign Service Manager)
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY
Email:gilbert.cole2@live.com
        
Confirming to him, the information under-listed:
1. NAME:
2. AGE:
3. SEX:
4. Full Address:
5. PHONE:
6. OCCUPATION:
7. NATIONALITY:
 
This information will be used to document and processing of your prize money to you.
                                                     
Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Olivia Omar
(Director of promotions).

Anti-fraud resources: