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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: GEORGE COLE <jimrichards2012@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: claimsagent_skylottery@stalag13.com
Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 14:23:32 +0000
Subject: LOTTO WINNING NOTIFICATION


OVERSEAS SUBSCRIBERS AGENTS
2006 PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM
183 Marsh Wall
LONDON E14 9SR
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer's Service Center)

Promoter: Microsoft®
Draw 1026,
Sat.,May 13th. 2006.

NOTIFICATION

DRAW RESULT CONFIRMATION FOR REF. NUMBER MCS/231OXI/06.

We happily announce to you the draw of the Microsoft United Kingdom/UK National Lottery, Easter internet promotions programs held on the 15th of April, 2006 in London.

Congratulations! You are among the six (6) randomly selected for the Easter promotions held in London. Selection was made using special software to generate valid email addresses at random from over 40,000 company and 20,000,000 individual email addresses from all over the world. All facilities and computer software were tested by Statisticians.

Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 5224652456UT with serial number 5388/02, batch number 12L/2006/04, lottery ref number MCS/231OXI/06 and drew lucky numbers 7-15-19-23-37-48 bonus ball 45 which subsequently won you the lottery in the first category i.e match 5 plus bonus.

Apparently, 6 individual email addresses were selected to recieved from a total cash prize of 7,104,000 Million pounds. You have therefore been approved for the total sum of 1,184,000.00(One Million,one hundred and eighty four thousand pounds) in cash credited to file MLTT/MTU/2006ETN.
===============================================================================
Please read and follow all enclosed instructions very carefully.

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to you.

This is part of our security Protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. You are to contact your fiduciary agent for further instruction on the prize/payment schedule.

To file for your claim, please contact our Fiduciary Agent with the following details as stated below:
Full Names, Residential Address, Sex, Age,Nationality/Country.

Mr. George Cole.

FIDUCIARY AGENT
Email:claimsagent_skylottery@stalag13.com
Tel = +447962671855

Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members and staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program. Note that you must contact your fidiciary agent within one week of receipt of this notice.

Sincerely,
MRS. CATHERINE HOOVER.
Co-ordinator
Verification Unit

Anti-fraud resources: