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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "foreign service manager" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "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. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. )
• 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.
  • gracemcjones_winningprocessing@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MICROSOFT 2007 WORLD LOTTERY" <anitagreenald_900@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: mrs_ritavaughan@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:10:33 +0100
Subject: ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION

              

            

 

FROM THE DESK OF E-MAIL

PROMOTIONS MANAGER

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE

AWARD DEPARTMENT,

MICROSOFT CORPORATION WORLD LOTTERY

UNITED KINGDOM

 

 

Reference No:MSW-L/327015002/06

BATCH NO: 2007 JANUARY#414

WINNER NO: 09

 

ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION

AWARD PRESENTATION CENTER:UNITED KINGDOM

 

Dear Winner,

 

Microsoft Corporation Management Worldwide are pleased to inform you today 17th April 2007  that you are a winner of our annual MS-WORD LOTTO LOTTERY  conducted for this present year MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO WINNING PROGRAM held on the 25th of January 2007.

 

Your email address was attached to ticket number 214-056-278  with serial number s/n-01025 and drew the lucky numbers 724-595-62-07-45 and consequently won in the 3rd category.

 

As a result of this , you have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of US$1,500,000:00 payable in cash credited to file Reference No:MSW-L/327015002/06 . This is from  total prize money of US$25 500,000.00 shared among Ten lucky international winners in this category.

 

All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot system drawn from a collation of frequent internet users  all over the world from America, Europe,Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia,  as part of International Email Promotions Program, which is conducted annually to encourage the use of internet and computers worldwide.

 

Your fund (Cashier's cheque) has been insured with your Reference No:  MSW-L/327015002/06 and will be ready for delivery but in order for your cheque to be issued and insured in your name and for you to begin your claim you are urgently required to provide the following information through email to Mrs Grace Mcjones, Foreign Service Manager, london United Kingdom { gracemcjones_winningprocessing@yahoo.co.uk  }

 

USE CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY.
1.Full names:   
2.Next of kin:
3.Contact address details: -
4.Sex:
5.Phone(House no& mobile phone) and fax numbers:
6.Age:
7.Company name:
8.Profession:
9.Nationality:

10.Contact address details where your wish your cheque posted to:

11.Brief description of your company and individual:

12.Date:

 

Congratulations once again from the entire management and staff of Microsoft Corporation to all our lucky winners this year and thank you for being part of this Promotional lottery Program. Our special thanks and gratitude goes to Bill Gates of Microsoft and all his associates for alleviating poverty around the world through this promotion.

 

SINCERELY,

                                                                  

Mrs.Anita Greenald                           

(PROMOTIONS MANAGER).                                   

 

LOTTERY SPONSORS : CHIEF SPONSORS;

MICROSOFT CORPORATION UK,             MICROSOFT CORPORATION AFRICA,

MICROSOFT CORPORATION USA,           MICROSOFT CORPORATION ASIA .

Past winners.

 

 

 

 

 

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam