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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: "World Lottery Office" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <alert@worldlotteryoffice.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 15:12:18 +0200
Subject: Notification

WORLD LOTTERY OFFICE
P O Liverpool, L70 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Ref: UK/9420X/05
Batch: 074/05/ZY369
 
Congratulations on your lottery winning with ticket number: 5647560054 188 with Serial number 5368/02 which drew the lucky numbers (-07 10 17 28 29 36-) bonus no 36. which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of GBP 2,000,000.00 (Two Million pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03.
 
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This
promotion takes place yearly.Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our London booklet representative office in London as indicated in your play coupon.
 
 
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE:
Simply contact your claims agent Eric Charles Dahlgren
UK Office :+ 44-703-190-1947
USA Office:+ 1-262-676-2451
 
LOTTERY WINNERS APPLICATION FORM FOR PAYMENT.
 
FULL NAME:.......
DATE OF BIRTH:.....
ADDRESS:.....
SEX:.....
AGE:.....
NATIONALITY:....
OCCUPATION:.....
TELEPHONE:...... 
DATE:...... 
 
 
CONGRATULATIONS from me and members of staff of the WORLD LOTTERY.
 
Yours faithfully,
Gillian Morgan
Online coordinator for UK WORLD LOTTERY
Sweepstakes International Program

Anti-fraud resources: