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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery 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:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "microsoft lottery" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
• 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.
  • +447045732794 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: bruce smilt <agentmicrosoft_claims2007@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:09:46 +0100 (BST)
Subject: FILL AND RETUN


MICROSOFT LOTTERY BOARD
PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
20 Howard Barking London, 7UA11G
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer's Service Center)
Ref Number: MSN/231OXI/04
Batch Number: 12L/2005

Dear Winner,karola.koertgen

I have been directed by the MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROMO COMMISSION HOUSE here in the UK, to formally notify you of our DISCLAIMING FORM. That you have just seven {7} working days to claim your funds from which you where given instructions on how to claim your prize. And it seems you are still being skeptical about your winnings, knowing well that it has taking too much time in the Lottery Commission Office.
Note that you are advice to claim your prize on or before the given days and if you do not want to claim your lump sum payout of £850,000[Eight hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling)in cash credited to file KLTT/KTU/2005ETN.
. Therefore, you are advice to sincerely give an order of the disbursement of your winnings funds to our yearly charity programmed. Please, you are further advice to print out this form, sign it and send it back to us as an attachment or fax immediately. Below is the form you will have to fill:

DISBURSEMENT FORM FOR WINNERS ONLY. FILL IN BLOCK LETTERS.

FULL NAMES: ________________________________________________________

REF. NUMBERS: _______________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________
NAME OF LOTTERY WON: _____________________________________________________________________

AMOUNT WON IN WORDS: ____________________________________________________________________

REASONS FOR NOT CLAIMING PRIZE/MONEY: __________________________

____________________________________________________________________

DATE: _________________________ SIGNATURE: ______________________

DECLARATION:
I _________________________________________________ HERE BY DECLARE THAT I


DO NOT WISH TO CLAIM MY PRIZE/MONEY AND WILL LOOSE THE RIGHT TO SUE FOR RECLAIMS. MY PRIZE MONEY CAN BE RELEASED OR GIVEN TO THE CHARITY HOMES FOR THIS YEAR CHARITY DONATIONS AS I DO NOT WISH TO CLAIM MY PRIZE, I THERE FORE WILL NOT TAKE ANY FURTHER ACTION IF MY PRIZE IS GIVEN OUT TO THE CHARITY HOMES.

This above form stands as an agreement between you and the lottery house that, you have agreed to close your winning file and will not go extra mile if your funds are been given out to the charity organization, that you would abide by the agreement signed between you and the MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROMO COMMISSION HOUSE here in the UK. I wish you the best in making your choice.

NOTE: It is mandatory you do as instructed so as to avoid any court action.


Tel:+44 7045732794
Fax:+44 709 2891 5665
Ref Number: MSN/231OXI/04
Batch Number: 12L/2005/04
MICROSOFT LOTTERY COMMISSION HOUSE ,
UNITED KINGDOM.


Regard,
Mr. BRUCE SMILT
Your Claims Officer.



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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam