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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: "Microlotto" <microlottnl450aeyc@tiscali.it>
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005 01:23:43 +0500
Subject: Congratulation!!!

MICRO LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
VIJZELSTRAAT 56, 1017 HD,
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS.

FILE REFERENCE NO:CH2005-001-MLI
BATCH: 1505/004NL

TO WINNERS IN OUR PROGRAM

We wish to congratulate you over your success in our computer balloting
sweepstake held on 1st August 2005.

This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses
were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet
users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it.
However,

your email address was attached to ticket number 10CBG3471913; with
serial number 19034 draw the lucky numbers 1-9-74-31, which eventually
won the lottery in the first category of the draws. This entitled to a
cash award of US$ 2, 500,000.00 (TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND U.S
DOLLARS). This is from total prize money of US$30,000,000.00
distributed to winners from 1st to 3rd categories.

Note that this program was largely promoted and sponsored by a group of
philanthropist, industrialists from the internet ware industry and some
other big multinational firms who wish to be anonymous.

To begin your claim, please contact the claims coordinator

DR. STUART DIENEN
Email address: microlott77nl@netscape.net
TEL: +31 647 210 360

Yours Faithfully,
For: Micro Lottery Int'l
MRS. DENSIE DE HOLIDRIJK

Anti-fraud resources: