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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447011149548 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • contact_mrsvarso@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs varso varsig <contact_mrsvarso@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:30:29 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: FROM THE MICROTRUST EMAIL LOTTERY INT'L BONANZA 2007


FROM THE MICROTRUST EMAIL LOTTERY INT'L BONANZA 2007

Dear Winner,

BACTH NO: MCT/120987437645/2006/06
REF. NO: GRP/2636619/Q

This is to inform you of the release of the E-MAIL LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL / WORLD GAMING BOARD held on the 24th of January, 2007.

Due to the mix up of numbers, the results were released on the 25th of January, 2007. Your name attached to ticket number 2190286573 with serial number 1873562 drew the lucky numbers of 23-72-39-42-77 which consequently won the lottery in the 1st category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout
of £1,000,000:00 Only ( ONE MILLION GREAT BRITISH POUNDS ONLY) in cash which is deposited with a Finance & Security Company in your favour as beneficiary and covered with HIGH INSURANCE POLICY. Due to the 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 participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from only Microsoft users from over 20,000 companies and 3,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.

To begin your lottery claim, kindly fill and send the from to our agent
below that has been appointed for the processing of your
claim.

FIRST NAME…………………………
LAST NAME…………………………
MARITAL STATUS…………………
AGE……………………………………
SEX……………………………………
COUNTRY……………………………
CITY...........................................
STATE.......................................
ZIPCODE..................................
NATIONALITY………………………
OCCUPATION………………………
ADDRESS…………………………
NEXT OF KIN………………………
TEL........................................
FAX........................................
HOME TEL.............................
PRIZE WINNING DETAILS
BATCH#................................. REF#....................................
TICKET#................................ SERIAL#..............................
LUCKY#................................ DATE OF CONTACT.................



MICROTRUST PAYMENT OFFICE
CITY/ COUNTRY: BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
CONTACT NAME: MRS VARSO VARSIG
TEL: +44 701 114 9548
Email: contact_mrsvarso@yahoo.co.uk




Note that all winning must be claimed not later than
the 23th of February, 2007. After this date all unclaimed
funds will be included in the next stake.

Also note that in order to avoid unnecessary delays
and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch number 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 of staff
and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

Yours Sincerely,

Mrs. Latitia Pederson
(PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR)

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
1) PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS OFFICE, CONTACT YOUR
CLAIMS AGENT BY EMAIL GIVEN ABOVE.

2) NO TICKET WAS SOLD FOR THIS PROMOTION, YOUR EMAIL
ADDRESS ATTACHED TO A PROMOTIONAL TICKET WON THIS LOTTERY.

3) ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE
WINNERS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam