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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• 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:

• 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!

Fraud email example:

From: Alan Marvins <microsoftawardteampromo_006@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 19:46:03 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: INFORMATION REQUIRED.


Attention: Rico Brandgen,

I acknowledged the receipt of your mail and the contents therein are quite understood to the betterment of your causes financially.

Be informed that it is a sweepstakes that is sucessfully organised by Microsoft and Aol and in this process, 5 million Great British Punds of which you are 10 in number that won the prize awarded by Microsoft and Aol like i said beforehand.

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.

In respect of this, winner are advice to fill the verification form to enable the logistic department to verify and process the file for the Microsoft and Aol award winning cheque.

Be also informed that it is indicated in the form wether you would like the cheque delivered to you via the courier company registered with the Microsoft or you would like the funds transfered into your account if you cannot come to our office in London to pick up the prize yourself.

You should also note the fact that the charges for the courier if you would like to open communication with them , may be less than a 100 GBP.

If are would rightly want your funds transfered into your account, you are expected for sure, to pay the sum of 110 GBP.

This fees are regulated by the agreements reached by the Microsoft and the agencues responsible for the delivery or transfer of funds to different destinations over the world.

The bank to bank online transfer fee is for the activation and transfer fee if the winner like you are cannot come to London to pick up the funds.

In anticipation, i await your swift response to this mail as tome is of essense now in the verfication and processing of the file before the funds can be transfered to you or couriered to your desiganted home address as you are exspected to do wothout any further delay.

Regards,
Mr Alan Marvins,
Microsoft Award Team.

Hallo there,

Sorry if I sound a touch insecure but may you kindly confirm your identification beforehand?

Sometime ago I had transferred some money to a person who told me something very closely similiar as yours. He has still not responded my last 15 mails and this makes me a little distrustful about you.

I have had a lot of problems recently so please just let me know in simple English.

Rico


Extra note: You should be informed that the phone number supplied could not connect. Please provide a workable number.




--- Original email ---
=20
Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park Harlesden
London NW10
United Kingdom

Ref: BTD/968/07
Batch: 409978E
Date: 06/02/2007

=20
Dear
=20
I am Mr Alan Marvins I have been assigned by Microsoft Award Tea=
m to process your payment file. I wish to Congratulate you on your winnin=
gs.The winning informations presented by you has been verified.
=20
Meanwhile as for now everything seem to be working in your favour all =
that we require from you now is your maximum cooperation for smooth tran=
sfer of your money through our paying bank courier delivery and deplomati=
c delivery depends on how you want it transfered to you . You are require=
d to fill out the claims processing form bellow and return to us for pro=
per verification. You are also required to send us a scanned copy of your=
valid Identity.
=20
=20
MICROSOFT AWARD VERIFICATION FORM:
=20
=20
Name Prefix Mr. Mrs. Ms. Dr. etc. : [input] First=
name: [input] Middle name: [input] Last name: [input] =
Nickname: [input] Maiden name: [input] Suffix Sr. Jr. II =
III etc. : [input] Personal Date of birth yyyy-mm-dd : [inpu=
t] Gender: [input] Male [input] Female Marital status: [input=
] Spouse/significant other: [input] Lotto Batch Number [input=
] Lotto Reference Numbers [input] Preferences Preferred addr=
ess for correspondence: [input] Home [input] Work/business Home add=
ress and phone Address: [input]=20
[input] City: [input] State/province: [input] Zip/postal=
code: [input] Country: [input] Phone: [input] Fax: [=
input] Mobile/cellular: [input] Internet at home E-mail: [=
input] Home page: [input] Employment and business Job title:=
[input] Occupation: [input] Company name: [input] Work=
address: [input]=20
[input] City: [input] State/province: [input] Zip/postal=
code: [input] Country: [input] Phone: [input] Fax: [=
input] Mobile/cellular: [input] Transfer Options Swift Tran=
sfer Online Transfer [input] Courier delivery of cheque [input] =
=20
Upon the reciept of the duelly filled claims form our lawyer will not=
ify the British Gaming Board BGB so as to give approval to our paying =
bank courier and deplomatic company the permission to make the transfer =
or deliver your winning cheque/winning certificate. You should send us yo=
ur personal contact phone number so the bank or courier company can conta=
ct you by phone and email.=20
=20
Congratulations once again.=20
Yours faithfully
Mr Alan Marvins
Dispatch Officer
Microsoft Award Promotion

=20
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message including any attachment=
s is for the sole use of the intended recipient s and contains confiden=
tial and privileged information. Any unauthorized review use disclosur=
e or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient =
please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the o=
riginal message
=20
=20
=20
Copyright =A9 2007. All rights reserved



















=09
---------------------------------
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam