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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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Fraud email example:

From: LOTTO INTERNATIONAL <rvav@walla.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2005 03:27:10 +0200
Subject: WINNING CLIAMS ALERT

FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY
PROMOTERS. WINNING NOTICE FOR CATEGORY "A" WINNER
Dear Lucky Winner,

RE: BONUS LOTTERY PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded annual final
draws of De Lotto Netherlands International Lottery programs.

The online cyber lotto draws was conducted from an exclusive list of 25,000 e-
mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies picked by an advanced
automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets were sold.
After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged as one of two
winners in the category "A" with the following:

Ref Number: 35149/337-5247/LNI
Batch Number:26371545-LNI/2004
Ticket Number:54866235

You as well as the other winner are therefore to receive a cash prize of
1,500.00.(ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EUROS ONLY) each from the total payout.

Your prize awards has been insured with your e-mail address and will be
transfered to you upon meeting our requirements, statutory obligations,
verifications, validations and satisfactory report.

To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are advised to
contact our licensed and accredited claims agent for category "A" winners with
the informatiom below:
Mr. Robort Van Paul
Financial Director,
Netherlands Development Finance Company,
De Amsterdamse
Poort Bijlmerplein
888 1102 MG Amsterdam
1000 BV Amsterdam
E-mail:claimagentnl@walla.com
Phone number +31-649-208-996

NOTE: All winnings must be claimed not later than 20 days. After this date all
unclaimed funds would be included in the next stake. Remember to quote your
reference information in all correspondence.

You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public especially
your reference and ticket numbers. (This is important as a case of double
claims will not be entertained).

Anybody under the age of 18 and members of the affiliate agencies are
automatically not allowed to participate in this program.
Thank you and congratulations!!!
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Mildred Hugo
Games/Lottery Coordinator.
De Lotto Netherlands International
www.lotto.nl

Anti-fraud resources: