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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:
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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)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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 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.
  • euromicrosoft@zwallet.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • claimss@financier.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Benita Lopez" <euromicrosoft@zwallet.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:51:01 +0200
Subject: RE-AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION

<> <>
CALLE APUESTA S/N LOCAL 34
C.P 28002 Madrid Spain.
Tel/FAX: 01134-685-603-710.
Email:euromicrosoft@zwallet.com
MICROSOFT LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL
FROM: THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD.
WINNING NOTIFICATION

Ticket no: 99805-01
Batch no: 02-0527
Ref no: 125-06039612-113
Winning no: 6-22-46-47-75-81
ATTN WINNER,

We are pleased to inform you today the 10th of August 2006 of the results of the MICROSOFT EMAIL LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL/WORLD GAMING BOARD computer balloting Sweep stake held on the 15Th July 2006 organised by the EuroMillion lottery board. This is a Millennium scientific computer
games lottery in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging Internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for this draws.

Your email address name attached to a ticket number 99805-01 with serial number 02-0527 drew the lucky numbers 6-22-46-47-75-81 which consequently won the lottery in the 1st category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of (€615,969.32 Euros)Equivalent to (USD$796,572.00) Seven hundred and Ninety Six thousand Five hundred and Seventy Two US Dollars only in cash ) this is from total prize money of €20,000,000.00 distributed to winners from 1st to 3rd and consolation awards categories.

CONGRATULATIONS:

Your winning amount is insured in your name to its real value for security reasons and will be released for payment by THE MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA after data’s verification, legalised and Notarised in the Court at the Ministry of Justice here in Spain. This is in accordance with the Spanish/European Lottery Act of 2005.
Due to mixed up of Emails and names we urge you to keep this award CONFIDENTIAL until your claim has been processed and your cash remitted to your desired OPTION OF PAYMENT this is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from Microsoft users from over 20,000 companies, and 3,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world. this promotional program takes place every three years.
LAST WINNERS ON MICROSOFT INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY ONLINE GAME.

<> <>
To begin your claim please contact your claim agent For processing and remittance of your prize fund into your designated bank account.
MR.PEDRO SANCHEZ PEREZ
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
MADRID FINANCIER S.L SPAIN.
Tel: 003463-872-6223 EXT:109
E-mail- claimss@financier.com,

Remember that all prize money must be claimed or filed for claim not later than 20.00hr 09th of September 2006,after this date all unclaimed winning amount will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please endeavor to quote your reference and batch numbers in every correspondence with us or your claim agent. Furthermore, should there be any change in your address do inform your claim agent as soon as possible. Congratulation once again from all
members of our staff and thank you for being part of our promotion program.

Yours Sincerely,
Benita Lopez
Vice President,
EuroMillion MICROSOFT LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL

NOTE; ONLY REPLY TO YOUR CLAIMS COORDINATOR TO CLAIM
YOUR CASH PRIZE. ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION.

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Material Copyright © 2005 The Lottery Co. Ltd.
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam