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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
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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:

• 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:
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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.
  • +2348056628555 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Dan Alex" <dan.alexlottopayment@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:52:48 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: WINNING FORM #22: FILL THIS FORM AND SEND IT BACK TO US FOR FILEING PROCESSING


Dear Berthold Moenchder, {Winner No5}

Congratulation!


This is to inform you that we are in receipt of your mail, and we the entire members of Microsoft Lottery Organisation are here to inform you that you are among the proudly winners of ONE MILLION, POUNDS STERLING ( GBP 1 MILLION) but before your winnings can be sent to you, there are procedures and documentations to be done.

All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place every 6 months.

Also, we will be preparing your WINNING CERTIFICATE, which will be send to you for references, on this regards, you are therefore requested to fill the below PAYMENT APPLICATION FORM , and return it to us immediately


I wish to inform you that this Lottery Notification is not in any way associated with the widely known internet fraud. Please be kind to send this office any information capable to eradicate this wide spread scam.

Below is a Copy of the Verification form, these information required are for us (Lottery Organisation) to be able to document your Winnings and at the same time Certify you as Our Original Winner.



LOTTERY PAYMENT APPLICATION FORM(To be completed by lottery winner only) MICROSOFT WORD LOTTERY PAYMENT CENTER AFRICAN ZONE NIGERIA-WEST-AFRICA.

1.Ticket Number(Lucky Num):__________________________________


2. Reference Number: _________________________________________

3. Batch Number: _____________________________________________

4. First Name: _______________________________________________

5. Last Name: _______________________________________________

6. Home Address: ____________________________________________

7. Town/City: __ _____________________________________________

8. Post Code: ________________________________________________

9. Country: __ ________________________________________________

10. Telephone (Home): ________________________________________

11. Mobile : __________________________________________________

12. Fax (Private): _____________________________________________

13. Fax (Office): ______________________________________________


14. Email Address: ____________________________________________

15. Date of Birth: _____________________________________________

16. Occupations: __ ___________________________________________

17. Gender: __________________________________________________


18. Marital Status: __ __________________________________________

19.INDICATE PREFERRED MODE OF PRIZE COLLECTION:

(A) CHEQUE

(B) DRAFT

(C) TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER






DATE

20.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL:
...........................................................
............................................................
............................................................

I __ __________________________ hereby declare that the above information is true and binding on me. If at any time it is discovered that I have given false information, I will forfeit my rights to my winnings.
Yours Sincerely,




PROF . DAN ALEX {PAYMASTER}.

Tel: +234-8056628555



For:MANAGEMENT

MICROSOFT CO-OPERATION AFRICAN PAYME ZONE

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam