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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: "NATIONAL LOTTERY, UK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <nationallotttery2015@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2015 13:53:53 +0100
Subject: THE NATIONAL LOTTERY, UK

THE NATIONAL LOTTERY, UK
LIFE CHANGING!
69 ELTHAM HIGH ST, LONDON SE9 1TT, UNITED KINGDOM
Dear Email User/Lucky Winner,
As part of our International Promotion, Awareness and Bonanza Program for the year 2015, we (in conjunction with GOOGLE, Gmail providers and YAHOO MAIL) just carried out lottery computer draws in some regions using the COMPUTER BALLOTING TECHNIQUE (CBT). Note that the computer draws were based strictly and randomly on active email users that NEVER played our lotteries.
You (an international winner) have won one Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($1,350,000.00) only. After the Computer Balloting for Batch Number MFI/08/APA-43658, your email address drew Winning Number 03 30 86 32 34 71 33. The Computers used random sampling techniques to select winners.
The Prize Money is insured and with one of our National Lottery Bankers in United Kingdom. For guidance on how to process and claim your Lottery Prize Money, please contact the Claims/Processing Officer, MR. NATHANIEL COLE immediately by email: mr.nathanielcole2015@gmail.com
When you contact him, please quote your Batch Number and Winning Number. To avoid the incidence of counter claims and complications, you are advised to keep your WINNING confidential until after the claims. Under no circumstances should you disclose your Winning Number and Batch Number to anybody before claims. Claims must be made within one month of this notification; hence you are advised to treat with urgency. Terms and conditions apply.
Congratulations.
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Nathaniel Cole
Lottery Claims/Processing Officer

Anti-fraud resources: