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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: Winx Lotto <winx@winxlotto1.orangehome.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 03:12:02 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: CONTACT YOUR PAYING BANK.


CONTACT YOUR PAYING BANK.
WINX LOTTO INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/
PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
RESULTS FOR CATEGORY "A" DRAWS
We are pleased to congratulate you, and announce to you,
the results of the First Category draw of THE WINX
LOTTO PROMO INT. We are happy to inform you that you
have emerged a winner under the First Category, which
is part of our promotional draws. The draws are being
officially announced today 16th of August 2006. Participants
were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from
2,500,000 e-mails addresses of individuals and companies
from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East,
and Oceania as part of our International Promotions Program.
Your e-mail address, attached to ticket number 46998126739,
with prize number 76210/UK, which consequently won in the
First Category. You have been awarded a lump sum pay-out of
€1,000,000 (One Million Euros), which is the winning payout
for Category "A" winners. This is from a total cash prize of
€10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Euros) shared amongst the first
Ten (10) lucky winners in this category.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is currently now deposited with the paying Bank.
In your best interest to avoid mix up of numbers and names
of any kind, we request that you keep the entire details of
your award strictly from public notice till the process of
transferring your claims has been completed, and your funds
remitted to you.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming
or unscrupulous acts by participants/non-participants of this
program. Please contact our paying bank (Inter Continental Alliance
Finance & Securities) immediately for due processing and remittance
of your prize money to a designated account of your choice:
NOTE: For easy reference and identification, do remember to quote
these numbers in your correspondence with your paying bank:
To claim your funds, please contact the paying bank.
*************************************************
Contact person: Mr. John Kane,
(International Remittance Department).
Email: intercafs1@netscape.net
Tel: +31-654-743-302
Fax: +31-847-292-338
*************************************************
N.B: All claims are nullified after 20 working days from today.
Congratulations once again from all members of Winx
Lotto International. Thank you for being part of our
promotional program.
Yours in service,
Dr. Bernard Van Dough.

Anti-fraud resources: