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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: "publicrelation officer" <publicrelationoffi_cer_dnmf@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Nov 2005 11:55:46 +0000
Subject: Grant Beneficiary

ATTN: Grant Beneficiary,

This is to bring to your information that your email has been randomly
selected and approved as a charity grant beneficiary of LADY DIANA CHARITY
FOUNDATION.You are awarded a grant sum of £3,555,000.00 (Three Million Five
Hundred And Fifty Five Thousand Great Britain Pounds) and for further
instructions on how you are to put claim to your grant, you are to FORWARD a
copy of this notification to our International Grants Officer as well as
give him a call via contact details below:

MR. SPENCER MCANTHONY,
INTERNATIONAL GRANTS OFFICER,
GRANT AWARD DEPARTMENT,
LADY DIANA CHARITY FOUNDATION,
FOUNDATION BUILDING,
569 EUSTON ROAD,
LONDON, NW1 3AR,
UNITED KINGDOM.
Tel: +44 7031904647
Fax: +44 8712514116
Email:spencermcanthony2@theladydianacharityfoundation.org

Congratulations once again from the entire staff of LADY DIANA CHARITY
FOUNDATION and it is our hope that you will appreciate our gesture and
judiciously spend your grant.

Sincerely,
Miss Emily Fletcher,
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
GRANT AWARD DEPARTMENT,
LADY DIANA CHARITY FOUNDATION
FOUNDATION BUILDING,
569 EUSTON ROAD,
LONDON, NW1 3AR,
UNITED KINGDOM.


Anti-fraud resources: