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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
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• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:

• 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.
  • +447031943199 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447005980586 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "microsoftword promo" <microsoftword6@msn.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:07:20 +0000
Subject: !!!! MICROSOFT LOTTERY WINNER !!!!!

 
MANAGER,INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT
LOTTERY, UNITED KINGDOM.
89 New Fetter Lane London,EC4A 1AG U.K
MR. TINZO PAOLO
PHONE #:+44 7031943199, +44 7031844897
FAX#: +44 7005980586
 
REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L
BATCH: 4583JL/WIN
 
MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY
PROMOTIONS,EMAIL AWARD PROMO: UNITED
KINGDOM

Finnaly today, we announce the winners of the
MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO WINNINGS
PROGRAMS held on 30th, AUGUST 2005. Your company
or your personal e-mail address, attached to winning number
23-76-06-54-42-100, With serial number 647489,
consequently won in the Tenth lottery category.
 
 You are therefore been approved for lump sums pay out of
GBP 5,500,000.00 POUNDS ($10,464,000 USD) in cash
Credited to file REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning
number 23-76-06-54-42-100, this is from total prize money
of GBP 27,500,000.00 POUNDS, shared among the Twenty
five (25)international winners in this category.
 
 All participants were selected through our Microsoft
computer ballot system drawn form 42,000 Names, 6,000
names from each continent, as part of International
"E-MAIL" Promotions Program, for our prominent MS
WORD user all over the world, and for the Continues use of
E-mail. Your fund (certified Cashiers cheque) has been
insured with your REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L and
winning number 23-76-06-54-42-100. To claim your winning
prize, you must first contact the claims department by email
for Processing and remittance of your prize money to you.
 
The claims processor is:
Name: Julian Phillip
E-mail (1): mswclaimsofficer@mymail.com
          
 
Do email the above email addresses, all at once. In order to
avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your reference and winning numbers in
all correspondences with your claims officer.
 
Sincerely,
Secretary
Mrs. Maurrine Diane H.
 
NOTE: Do not reply this mail. You are to contact your
claims officer immediately by email. Or call the promotion
director MR. TINZO PAOLO on PHONE #:+44
7031943199, +44 7031844897 to confirm your winnings.
  
 
 

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam