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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: "Mr Harry Maley" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <harry.maley1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 12:40:40 -0800
Subject: We happily inform you about our (Guinness National Lottery Program)

GUINNESS CUSTOMER PROMOTION 2013
dv-2013 program
St. Christo Road (ecowas)
Guinness PLC, West Africa.
 
 
                                  FINAL NOTIFICATION.
 
 
We happily inform you about our (Guinness National Lottery Program)held on the 23Th of November 2013, which you entered as a dependent client and finally took the 1st position in our second (2nd) category winners, that falls within  the west Africa region. Your email was attached to the ticket number (44-40-23-777-01) which made you a winner of (us$500,000.00) and your name being recorded in our Guinness world book of record as the 1st lucky winner of the year 2013. You have been approved the sum of US$500,000.00 which will be sent across to you immediately.
 
 
All emails are selected randomly through a computer ballot which subsequently won you the sweepstake of Guinness internet web lottery.
 
This is part of our security measures put in place to avoid double claiming or a situation where unwanted person(s) would be taking negative advantage of this promotions, thereby impersonating in order to claim another persons winning prize.
 
Here is our fiduciary agent responsible for your the processing / release of winnings for all Second Category winners where your winning falls into:
 
AGENT: Harry Maley...
EMAIL: harry.maley1@gmail.com
 
 
GUINNESS CLAIMS SECURITY AGENT,You are required to forward the following details to help facilitate the processing of your GUINNESS CLAIMS OF CERTIFICATE.
 
Full Names:
Residential Address:
Phone Number:
Occupation:
Sex:
Age:
Present country / Marrtal status.
 
ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
 
Yours sincerely...
 
Mr Willy Bruce
 
GUINNESS CUSTOMER PROMOTION.
 
WARNING!!!!  WARNING!!!!
KEEP THIS INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL AND BE CAREFULLY OF SCAM MAILS.

Anti-fraud resources: