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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "microsoft lottery"
• 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.
  • +447031965636 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +447005808516 (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.
  • lina_light22@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mrs basheera abubaka" <microsoft10@oued.info>
Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2006 09:35:56 GMT
Subject: CONGRATULATION!!!

Dear Lina,

 

As regards to the telephone discaussion, we are here to infrorm you that you are among the 25winners of the microsoft lotto lottery winners which was held here in africa on the 20th march 2006.

 

You hereby inform to contact our offshore paying center in London for your claim. Your are advice to complete the information requested in the aplication form with your serial number and the lucky wining number.

 

The contact of the London bank is as stated below:

 

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL BANK

21Cresent Street, London W12B 3HH - United Kingdom
Tel+44-7031965636  Fax: +44-7005808516
Email:britishbnk@accountant.com

 

Congratulation!!!

 

Yours faithfully.

 

Mrs Caro Smith.

 

 

 

                                                                       YOUR FULL NAMES

                                                                        TEL: --------------------------------

                                                      FAX---------------------------------

                                                      SERIAL NUMBER-----------------

                                                      LUCKY WINNING NUMBER----------

                                                      SECURITY CODE-------------------

                                                      EMAIL:---------------------

                                                                        DATE: = ----------------------------

 

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL BANK

21Cresent Street, London W12B 3HH - United Kingdom
Tel+44-7031965636  Fax: +44-7005808516
Email:britishbnk@accountant.com

 

 SIR,

APPLICATION OF CLAIM

REF: MICROSOFT LOTTERY WINNER

 

I AM ---------------------------------------  OF -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, HOLDER OF THE --------------------------------INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT NUMBER ---------------------- AND THE BONA-FIDE WINNER OF MICROSOFT LOTTERY HELD ON 20TH OF MARCH 2006.

 

I WISH TO APPLY FOR THE CLAIM AS THE WINNER OF MICROSOFT LOTTERY $1,000,000.00(ONE MILLION DOLLARS USD) AWARD, WHICH WAS HELD ON THE 20TH OF MARCH 2006. TO THE ACCOUNT AS STATED BELOW:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I SHALL BE WILLING TO FORWARD ALL STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CLAIM.

 

 I WILL BE GRATEFUL IF MY APPLICATION IS GIVEN A FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION.

 

YOURS TRULY,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~LiNa~ writes:

> Good day, Mrs Caro Smith

>

> I am lost for words upon reading the email. I hope this is for real, as I still couldn't believe my eyes that I am a winner. If this is reality, I really thanked my lucky stars.

>

> Below are the details as instructed, to be added in the email reply. I tried to contact you through your cell phone at 2am[Singapore time] but there wasn't any response. I hope you could reply me as soon as possible.

>

> Claiming Secetary Agent Officer: Mrs Caro Smith

>

> Reference No: MSW-L/200-26937

>

> Batch No: 2005SEPTL#22

>

> Security Code: MSW/FEB/XX06

>

> Mobile number: 97925732

>

> Country: Singapore

>

> From: Lina [lina_light22@yahoo.com]

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Ring'em or ping'em. Make PC-to-phone calls as low as 1¢/min with Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam