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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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")
  • "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 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.
  • +447011148836 (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.
  • claimsdepartment1980@yahoo.gr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM LOTTERY <msoft001@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <jombek1@yahoo.de>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2007 11:02:38 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION



Microsoft Award Team20 Craven Park,Harlesden LondonNW10 United Kingdom
Ref: BTD/968/05Batch: 409978EDear Winner, WINNING NOTIFICATION The prestigious Microsoft and Aol has set out and
successfully organised a Sweepstakes marking the end of year anniversary and we have rolled out over £25,000,000.00(Twenty-five Million Pounds) for the end of year Anniversary Draws. Participants for this 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 data
test. Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to
ticket number 08795727498 with serial numbers
BTD/9080648302/06 and drew the lucky numbers
14-21-25-39-40-47(20) which subsequently won you
£2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds Only) already issued in a cheque as one of the 10 jackpot winners in this draw. You have therefore won the entire winning sum of
£2,500,000.00 (Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Pounds
Only). The draws registered as Draw number one was conducted in Brockley, London United Kingdom . These Draws are commemorative and as such special. Please
note that your lucky winning number falls within our
European booklet representative office in Europe as
indicated in your play coupon. In view of this,you have therefore been approved to claim a
total sum of £2,500,000.00 Pounds(Two Million Five Hundred
Thousand Pounds Only).This sum will be released to you by
any of our payment offices in Europe. Our payment officer here in UK will immediately commence
the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon
as you contact them. Make contact with your designated agent who shall by duty
guide you through the process to facilitate the release of
your winning money. To file for your claim, Please Contact your Payment Officer
with the details below: Claims AgentVan DirkTel +44 701 114 8836Fax:44-871-247-2512Email: claimsdepartment1980@yahoo.gr 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 end of year
Anniversary Draws. Happy end of year celebration. Sincerely,William HillsMicrosoft Promotion Team NB: PLEASE NOTE! Any claim not made before (14) working
days from date of notification will indicate that the
winner has voluntarily forfeited his/her winnings.

_________________________________________________________________
Change is good. See what’s different about Windows Live Hotmail.
www.windowslive-hotmail.com/learnmore/default.html?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGLM_HMWL_reten_changegood_0507

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam