419 scam: "National Lotto" <lottery@informaticos.com> Your Reference Number: LOT/132/756

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!

Fraud email example:

From: "National Lotto" <lottery@informaticos.com>
Date: Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:43:30 -0500
Subject: Your Reference Number: LOT/132/756

The National Lottery Inc.
152 Portobello Road,
London W11 2EA
United Kingdom.

Dear Prize Winner,

You have been awarded 2,000,000 Euros â€œTax-Freeâ€ prize in our Free Satellite Software email lottery in which e-mail addresses were picked randomly by Software powered by the Internet through the world wide website (www). Your email address was amongst others chosen this second quarter of the year for The National Lottery category "B" winners. This latest win continues the nation's amazing run of luck with big EuroMillions winners. The win comes a month after Nigel Page and Justine Laycock won a record-breaking Â£56 million in the same draw. Mr Page, a self-confessed "white van man", celebrated Britain's biggest lottery win with a bacon roll.

Your email address attached to Reference Number: LOT/132/756 with Serial Number: 538901527-NL68 and Ticket Number: 27522465896-UKLOT drew lucky numbers: 18, 37, 8, 16 and 43 with the Lucky Star numbers: 2 and 6, which consequently won 2,000,000 Euros in the "B" Category. Please note that your lucky winning numbers fall within our European Booklet representative office in the United Kingdom as indicated in your play coupon. In View of this, your 2,000,000 Euros will be released to you by our accredited claims agent located in London.

For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning details confidential until your claims is processed and your winning prize remitted to you through any of our paying banks. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by members of the public.

To file for your "Tax-Free" prize, please contact your accredited clearing agent:
Name: Mrs. Anita Gornick
Email: eclaims@luckymail.com

For payment, please do provide the following information:
1. Full Names:
2. Address:
3. Telephone/Fax Number:
4. Age:
5. Sex:
6. Occupation:
7. Nationality:

These details will facilitate due process and the release of lottery prize money to you. Forfeiture of this prize money opportunity due to non-response is absolutely final and would be regrettable. You're strongly advised to RESPOND NOW!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Ms. Valerie Fiala, Contest Manager
This is a post-only message, please do not reply.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam