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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "micro soft" <amicro.808@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2007 17:49:12 -0500
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE WON THE 2007 MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM PROMO!!!

MicrosoftMSN 
 
                    
                                                                                                  
Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park, Harlesden                                                           
London NW10                
United Kingdom
Ref: BTD/968/07
Batch: 309978E
 
 
Dear Winner,

                                     WINNING NOTIFICATION 2007.

The prestigious Micrsoft and aol  has set out and sucessfully organised a Sweepstakes marking the new year 2007 anniversary we rolled out over £5,000.000.00 (Five million Great Britain Pounds) for our new  year Anniversary Draws which will last till 31th 0f January, 2007. This notiofication expiring date, should not be taken for granted.
 
Participants for the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.
 
The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching personalised email addresses to ticket numbers. If you ignore this, you will regret it later. Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test.
 
 Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to ticket number 008795727498 with serial numbers BTD/9080648302/06 and drew the lucky numbers 11-9-28-19-36-67 (20) which subsequently won you £500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds)  as one of the 10 jackpot winners in this draw. You have therefore won the entire winning sum of £500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds). The draws registered as Draw number one was conducted in Brockley, London United Kingdom on the 2nd January, 2007. These Draws are commemorative and as such special.
 
Please be informed by this winning notification,to file your claims,you are to make contact with your designated agent who shall by duty guide you through the process to facilitate the release of your prize.To file for your claim Please Contact your fiduciary agent
 
Mr Alan Marvins,
Microsoft Promotion Award Team
Email: microsoftawardteampromo_006@yahoo.co.uk

Phone:  +447024076743
              +447024076968
 
FAX:    +448704796941
             +448704714506
            
You are advised to contact your fiduciary agent with the following details to avoid unnecessary delays and complications:
 
Your Full Names
Country
Ticket Numbers
Batch Number
Serial Number
Lucky Numbers
 
as indicated in this winning Notification and Phone numbers.Thank you for being part of this promotional award program.
 
Our special thanks and gratitude to Bill Gates and his associates.We wish you the best of luck as you spend your good fortune.Thank you for being part of our commemorative new year Anniversary Draws.
 
                                                                      
                                                                                     
Sincerely, 
Mr Alan Marvins,
Microsoft Promotion Team
 
MicrosoftMSN 
Copyright © 2007 microsoft award promo. All rights reserved.


Check out all that glitters with the MSN Entertainment Guide to the Academy Awards®

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