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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:
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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "international lottery programme" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +447040116937 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: Jennifer Williams <jennifer_williams11x@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 10:24:21 +0000
Subject: MICROSOFT CONSULATE GENERAL CONGRATULATES YOU!!



FROM THE DESK OFTHE E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARDDEPARTMENT, MICROSOFT WORD CORPORATION LOTTERY, USARef: 475061725Batch: 7056490902/188Winning No: GB8701/LPRCWINNING NOTIFICATION,Congratulations,We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on MAY 26 2007,from the Microsoft International Lottery Programme; which is fullybased on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mailaddresses from different sites.Your email address was attached toticket number: 17212, Serial Number 7741137002.You hereby have been approved a lump sum pay SIX HUNDRED THOUSANDBRISTISH POUNDS STERLING in cash credit file Ref: ILP/HW 47509/02 fromthe total cash prize shared amongst eight lucky winners in thiscategory.All participants were selected through a computer balloting systemdrawn from nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada,Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa andOceania as part of our international promotions program which isconducted annually. This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by theMicrosoft Co-operation world wide as part of their socialresponsibility for the eradication of poverty and to promote the useof the internet globally.Further more, your detail (e-mail address) falls within our EnglandRepresentative Office in London as indicated in your play coupon andyour prize of SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND BRISTISH POUNDS STERLING will bereleased to you from our regional branch office in London. We hopethat with part of your prize, you will be able to participate in ourend of year high stakes for ONE MILLION BRISTISH POUNDS STERLINGInternational Draw.Your Winning Fund (International Certified Cheque)has been insured with the Paying Bank with REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937 andwill be ready to be handed over or delivered to you when you arethrough with the official process involved.It will be delivered to you by our Claims Officer/Paymaster Staff incharge of the London Zone (MR.BARRY FERGUSON). Your E-mail addressshould be used in all correspondence with your Claims Officer. Pleasenote that you are to contact him via email and phone calls as we arepromoting the use of E-mail services. Also you have the right to callhim to confirm your winning Details.HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE:Simply contact our Claims Officer/Pay Master,MR.BARRY FERGUSON.E-mail: barry.ferguson07@yahoo.co.uk.Phone No: +447040116937 to file for your claim .Please ensure that you quote your Reference, Batch and Winning Numberswhich can be found on the top left corner of this notification, aswell as your full name, address and telephone number to help locateyour file easily. For security reasons, we advice all winners to keepthis information confidential from the public until your claim isprocessed and your prize released to you. This is part of our securityprotocol to avoid double claiming.NOTE, ALL WINNINGS MUST BE CLAIMED WITHIN 20 DAYS FROM THE DATE OFTHIS NOTIFICATION. UNCLAIMED FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE NATIONALTREASURY FOR OUR NEXT DRAW.Congratulations once more from the entire Management and Staff ofMicrosoft Co-operation to all our lucky winners this year. Thank youfor being part of this promotional lottery program. Our special thanksand gratitude to Bill Gate of Microsoft and all his Associates foralleviating poverty round the World.Regards.Mrs.Jennifer Williams.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam