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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "microsoft mega jackpot lottery" (no such lottery exists)
  • "microsoft lottery" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "million british pounds" (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)
• 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.
  • +447031899149 (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.
  • mrjohanlawson@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • microsoftclaimagent_uk@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Queensy Rod <missqueensy58@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <microsoft_london_uk@katamail.com>
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:59:18 +0000
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!






MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERYMICROSOFT HOUSE PRESCOT, LONDON E1 8RP. UNITED KINGDOM.

REF NO: M154S/WL07MICRO (LOTTERY) CHIP NO: 9465206

ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD PROMOTION. MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY.

Dear Mr/Mrs/Sir/Madam:

Today, we announce the 10 lucky winners of the MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROGRAM held yesterday. Your e-mail address, attached to the Chip Number: 9465206, won in the second lottery category 001. Your email address has brought you an unexpected luck, please read through this message.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of ₤1,500,000 (One Million five hundred thousand British pounds) in cash credited to file MSW/9080118308/02/LA. This is from a total cash prize of ₤15.000,000 (Fifteen Million British pounds) shared amongst the ten (10) lucky winners. in the second category.

All participants were selected randomly from 'World Wide Web' site through Microsoft computer ballot system (MCBS) and extracted from over 100,000 individuals and companies. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and money remitted to you in the manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is a part of our precautionary measure to avoid unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements.

Note that all claims process and clearance procedures must be duly completed early to avoid impersonation arising to the issue of double claim, you are advised to keep this notice to yourself because we shall not be responsible for any divert of funds as a result of you disclosing your lottery award details, We hereby advice you to report to the Microsoft lottery claims agent whose information is stated below.

Your Claim Agent:

Mr. JOHAN LAWSON.E-mail: mrjohanlawson@yahoo.co.uk
microsoftclaimagent_uk@yahoo.co.uk Tel.: +44 703 1899 149.

Do email or call the above mentioned person, at once with all the claims requirements below. In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications.

CLAIM PROCESSING FORM:

1. full Name:2. Address:3. Nationality:4. Date of Birth:5. Occupation:6. Phone: 7. Mobile: 8. Fax: 9. State of Origin:10.Country: 11.Sex:
12.Amount won:13.E-mail Address:

The above requirements are needed to enable the immediate release of your won prize.

Best Regards,

Mrs. Queensy Rod.
SecretaryMicrosoft Mega Jackpot Lottery

Microsoft Mega Jackpot Lottery, property of the Microsoft Inc. Copyright® 2007. All Rights reserved.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam