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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:

• 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:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447024091520 (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.
  • microsoftwallace@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "hayes orion" <hayesorion@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 04:34:26 -0700
Subject: NOTIFICATION


*UNITED KINGDOM GREAT BRITAIN
MICROSOFT CORPORATION UNITED KINGDOM.LONDON.
NATWEST SECURITY BANK PLC/MICROSOFT HOUSE, LONDON
24 MICHAEL GREGORY STREET-LONDON WC2N 4ER.UK.
Director: MR. Andrew Gregry III
PHONE # :( 00944) 702 409 1333, (00944) 702 409 1520
PHONE # :( 00944) 702 305 0858
FAX # :( 00944) 700 598 0586

REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L.
BATCH: 4583JL/WIN
MICRO (LOTTERY) CHIP NO: 9465021 *

*ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD PROMOTION. MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY UNITED
KINGDOM. *

* Finally today, we announce the winners of the MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT
LOTTO WINNINGS PROGRAMS held on 20th, April 2007. Your company or your
personal e-mail address, won in the second lottery category 002. *

* You are therefore been approved for lump sums pay out of
?5,500,000.00FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS. Equivalent to
($10,064,000 USD)
Ten Million, Sixty Four Thousand US Dollars. In cash Credited to file REF
NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L,BATCH: 4583JL/WIN and MICRO (LOTTERY) CHIP NO: 9465021,
you are the second lucky winner of the total winners of 10. You all won
?5.5, million Pounds each. All the 10 participants were selected through our
Microsoft computer ballot system (MCBS) drawn from each continent, as part
of International "E-MAIL" Promotions Program, to promote the use of emails
all over the World, and to promote the use of Microsoft Office. *

* Your funds (certified Cashiers cheque) have been insured with your REF
NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L. To claim your winning prize (?5.5, million pounds),you
must first contact our Fiduciary/Processing Agent by email,is our accredited
representative for the Processing and remittance of your prize money to
you.You can reach him on: *

*Name: Albert Wallace
E-mail: **microsoftwallace@gmail.com* <microsoftwallace@gmail.com>
* Do email the above email address, immediately with all the claims
requirements below In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications.
Claims Requirements:
1. FULL NAMES: (2). NATIONALITY: (3). DATE OF BIRTH (4). SEX: (5). MARITAL
STATUS: (6). CONTACT ADDRESS: (7). TELEPHONE NUMBER: (8). OCCUPATION: (9).
WINNING E-MAIL ADDRESS: (10). REFERENCE/ BATCH NUMBERS: (11). TOTAL AMOUNT
WON
Sincerely,
Secretary
Mr. Lesley Kenneth Jr. *

* WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! *

*ANY MAIL RECEIVED OF THIS SUCH WITH ANY OTHER TRADE MARK OR ADDRESS SHOULD
BE FOWARDED TO YOUR CLAIMS AGENT IMMEDIATELY; THIS WILL HELP US TO FIGHT
SCAM AND LOTTERY IMPOSTERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED CO-OPERATION.

!!! CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON !!! *

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam