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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was sent to thousands of people)
• 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.
  • +447024069819 (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.
  • microsoft_lottery_promo_uk@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?iso-8859-1?q?microsoft=20lottery=20promotion?= <microsoft_lottery_promo_uk@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: m.promotion@merseymail.com
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2006 10:25:40 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS, YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS WON YOU A PRICE IN THE MICROSOFT JACKPOT LOTTERY PROMO


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: microsoft_lottery_promo_uk@yahoo.co.uk

Microsoft Mega

Jackpot Lottery

23 Chelmsford st,

London LD25BN,

United Kindom.



MOTTO: FIGHTING POVERTY ROUND THE WORLD



Reference Number: LR/19-CH/4310

Batch: LR/05/0018



Dear Winner,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded

annual final draws of the MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROMO.The

Microsoft Lottery draws was conducted from an exclusive list of

25,000,000 e-mail addresses of individual and corporate bodies

picked by an advanced automated random computer ballot search

from the internet as part of our international promotions program

which we conduct every year. No tickets were sold.



After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address attached to

serial number 25-6565 drew the lucky numbers 6-13-18-24-33-39 which

consequently emerged you as one of first fifty (50) lucky winners in

this category.


You have therefore been approved for lump sum payout of 950,000.00

(Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousands GB pounds) in cash credited to file

LR/19-CH/4310. This is from a total cash prize of $50,000,000(Fifty

Million)Pound shared amongst the first fifty (50)lucky winners in this

category.This year Lottery Program Jackpot is the largest ever for The

Microsoft Lottery.The estimated $50 million jackpot would be the sixth-

biggest in Europe history.The biggest was the GBP363 million jackpot

that went to two winners in a Febuary 2000 drawing of The Big Game

Mega Millions' predecessor.



Your fund is now deposited in an offshore bank with a hardcover

insurance.Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we advice

that you keep this award from public notice until your claim has been

processed and your money remitted to you as this is part of our

security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking

advantage of this program by the general public.



Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European

booklet representative office in London. In view of this,your 950,000

(Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousands GB Pounds)would be released to

you by our affiliate bank in Europe.



Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the

release of your funds to you as soon as you make contact with him.

To begin your claim please contact your claims agent by sending

mail to him on the email address below on how to assist you remit

your fund to you.



Mr.Jonathan Lubikowski

Foreign Services Manager,

Information and Payment Bureau.

London Representative Office.

Phone: +44-702-406-9819

Email: m.promotion@merseymail.com



Your claims agent will assist you in the processing and remittance

of your prize funds into your designated bank account.Note that all

prize funds must be claimed not later than One month. After this

date all funds will be returned to the LOTTERY TREASURY as

unclaimed.In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications,

please endeavor to quote your Reference (LR/19-CH/4310) and

Batch numbers (LR/05/0018) in every correspondence with your

agent.Furthermore, should there be any change in your address,

do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.

Note:all claims must be made within one months interval.



Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thanks

for being part of our program.



Yours faithfully,

Mrs Veronica Smith,

Promotions Manager,

Microsoft Lottery.

















- microsoft lottery promotion

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam