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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) 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 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.
  • +447045704607 (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.
  • gcs333online@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr George Simmons <microsoftagent101@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2007 11:06:26 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CLAIMS APPROVED (CONTACT COURIER FOR DELIVERY)



MICROSOFT WORD LOTTERY UK
CLAIMS/ VERIFICATIONS DEPARTMENT
P.O.Box 275. 3b Olympic Way, Sefton Business Park,
Aintree, Liverpool , L30 1RD

DEAR: Jaap Kingma,

CONGRATULATIONS!Thanks for your e-mail. This is to also confirm that we have recieved and confirmed your winning informations.

For more clarity, MICROSOFT WORD LOTTERY . Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:20-12DEC-2005-02MSW with Serial Number:S/N-00168 drew the Lucky Drew Numbers:887-13-865-37-10-83. and consequently won the lottery in the 1st category.

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of £500,000.00 GBP (FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING) credited to file REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937. All participants were selected through our microsoft computer ballot system drawn form 21,000 names,3,000 names from each continent, as part of International "E-MAIL" Promotions Program, which is conducted annually for our prominent MS WORD user all over the world, and for the continuous use of E-mail.

This is also to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the MICROSOFT WORD LOTTERY. I am happy to let you know that we have forwarded your Original winning Certificate and your Certified bank cheque to the courier company.

Find below the details of the courier company.

GLOBAL COURIER SERVICES
ADDRESS: Rovex House, Hay Hall Rd. Tyseley,
Birmingham. B11 2AG. England.
EMAIL:gcs333online@yahoo.co.uk
TEL: +447045704607
+447045715840

Please note that considering the amount of money that is involved, we cannot enthrust the postage of your cheque in the hands of any other courier service apart for our affiliate.

You are adviced to contact the courier company for their courier cost of delivering your winning prize safely to you for immediate claim.

When contacting them,you are to include this order number as your subject.Please you are adviced to write down the order number and save it.


ORDER NUMBER: MO35468UK

Note: you are to Quote your complete names,Ref/Batch Numbers and your direct phone number so that they can honour your letter also do keep me updated with your communications with the courier company.Also note that the question on when and how to pay the courier cost will be answered by the courier company.

Furthermore, as soon as you receive your cheque from the courier company, you are to proceed to your bank in your country so that the full value of your cheque will be paid to you.

This means that your winning cheque is a certified cheque and as such can be cashed across the counter of any bank in your country.

Once again congratulations!!! from our members of staffs, We do hope that with part of your winnings you take part in Next year's Grand draws as we wish you a very blissful year.

Warm regards,
Mr George Simmons
For Ms Word Lottery UK.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam