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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MICROSOFT/WINDOWS LIVE EMAIL PROMOTION"<mswl2009@live.co.uk>
Reply-To: <mrs.ellis_wilkinson@live.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 19:46:43 -0000
Subject: 2009 MICROSOFT/WINDOWS LIVE NEW YEAR EMAIL PROMOTION

REF: MSW6/315116127/27
BATCH: 8254297137

This e-mail is to inform you that your email address has been selected
in an online email award programme held 16th of January 2009 for a payout
of 1,500,000.00 GBP. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number
883734657492-5319 drew the winning numbers 14-22-28-37-40-44 and a
bonus number of 38 which subsequently won in the 1st category.
To file your claim, do contact your designated officer assigned to
your file via email as given in the contact details underneath
providing your Name and Reference Number (MSW6/315116127/27) to
commence the process of releasing your prize to you. For further
enquiring you can also contact him on the telephone number below.

NAME: ALLEN TRISTAN
EMAIL: a.tristan2009@live.co.uk
Tel: +44 7990728022

Yours truly,
Mrs. Ellis Wilkinson

Anti-fraud resources: