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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: "Notice" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <onlineclaimsdepart@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:43:45 +0200
Subject: Congratulations You Won

Microsoft Corporations:
Customer Service
Your Reference No: ESP-X/M-2810
Your Batch No: 2010/101/MIC

Attn: Lucky Winner,

We are pleased to inform you of the release of the long awaited results of
Sweepstakes promotion organized by Microsoft-Internet Explorer,in conjunction
with the foundation for the promotion of software products,(F.P.S.)in our online
email draw for the year 2010 in which e-mail addresses are picked
randomly by computerized balloting,powered by the Internet.

Your email address was among those chosen in the 2nd category and
therefore attracted a cash award of 250,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Euros) and a Dell laptop.

To begin your claim,do file for the release of your winning by contacting
our Foreign Transfer Manager:

Mr. Luis Garcia
Microsoft Claims Dept(Spain).
Tel: +34-63-4045-527
Fax: +34-91-1820-136
Email: mic.awards@btinternet.com

For verification purpose ,Forward to him your claim details below;

(1) Your mailing address:
(2) Your Tel(Mobile):
(3) Your Nationality/Country:
{4} Your Full Names:
{5} Your Occupation:
{6} Your Age:

The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by former
CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates and a consortium of software promotion companies.The
Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers and other International Companies. The
Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to
encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.

Congratulations!!

Sincerely,
Mrs.Raquel Sánchez
(Lottery Coordinator)

Anti-fraud resources: