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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +34622450925 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • microword060@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 15:27:24 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: MICROWORD CORPORATIONS:


MICROWORD CORPORATIONS:
CUSTOMER SERVICE, VALENCIA.
REFERENCE NUMBER: MCV-RX/E-3929
BATCH NUMBER: 2008/330/MCV


OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION.

We are pleased to inform you of the released results of Sweepstakes
Promotion organized by Microword Corporations, in conjunction with the
foundation for the promotion of software products, held this Noverber 1st,
2008, here in Valencia- Spain. Where in your email address emerged as one
of the online Winning emails, in the 3rd category and therefore attracted
a cash award of 450,000.00 (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euros) and a
Toshiba laptop.

Your laptop, certificate of winnings and your cheque of 450,000. 00
Euro, will be sent to you contact address. Please take note, lucky
winners will pay for their courier services delivery. Microword
corporations only provides lucky winners with a laptop and the sum of
450,000.00 Euro only.

For more information about microword.com and To begin your claim, do file
for the release of your winning by contacting
Our Foreign Transfer Manager via mail or by telephone.

Mr. Maurice Pascal
Tel: 0034-622450925
Email:microword060@gmail.com =20
=20
This Email Lottery is Sponsored by Microword Coporation and all the
members of MSFT Word Resource Consortium Software Promotion Companies.
This internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to
encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.

Congratulations!!
Sincerely,
Mr. Federico Inocencio
Promotions Manager.=20

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam