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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 corporation word lottery" (no such lottery exists)
  • "ms-word lotto" (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)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
  • +447024022288 (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.
  • barclaysbank_capitaluk1@operamail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "MICROSOFT MANAGEMENT" <microsoft_lotto@newsgroup.hk>
Reply-To: microsoft180@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:42:50 +0800
Subject: FIRST HUNDRED WINNERS NOTIFICATION CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!




MOTTO: FIGHTING POVERTY TODAY AROUND THE WORLD



FROM THE DESK OF E-MAIL

PROMOTIONS MANAGER

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE

AWARD DEPARTMENT,

MICROSOFT CORPORATION WORD LOTTERY

MADRID SPAIN.

Reference No:MSW-L/327015002/06

BATCH NO: 2006JULY#644

WINNER NO: 12



ELECTRONIC E-MAIL AWARD WINNING
NOTIFICATIONAWARD PRESENTATION CENTER: MADRID

SPAIN.



Dear Winner, Microsoft Corporation Management Worldwide are pleased
to
inform you that you are a winner of our annual MS-WORD LOTTO LOTTERY
conducted
in UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in conjuction with ECOWAS COMMUNITY &
EUROPEAN
UNION being the host of the event for this present year MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO
WINNING PROGRAM held on the 15th of November 2007. Your email address
was
attached to ticket number 214-056-278 with serial number s/n-01025 and drew
the
lucky numbers 724-595-62-07-45 and consequently won in the 3rd category.

As a result of this , you have therefore been approved for a
lump
sum payout of US$250 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand united states dollars)
payable in cash credited to file Reference No:USEC/754/89/BK-07 . This is
from
total prize money of US$50,000,000 (Fifty million united states dollars)
shared
among HUNDRED lucky international winners in this category.

All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer
ballot
system drawn from a collation of frequent internet users all over the world
from
America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia, as part of
International Email Promotions Program, which is conducted annually to
encourage
the use of internet and computers worldwide.



European Union in liaison with ECOWAS Countries presidents have
without
prejudice authorised The Barclays Bank, London, in uk to identify, and
collect
your data as outlined below so your award wining prize will be paid to you
through a Barclays Bank Debit Card.



To enable us arrange this wining prize debit card
and
mail to you immediately through courier. Do send to us immediately via email

the
below informations :

(a) One scanned copy of your recent passport
photo.

(b) Scanned copy of your signature which you wish to use for the purpose
of
this debit note.
(3) Your address where you would like the Debit Card
mailed
to you.
(4) The Debit Card is final and remains your 100% AWARD WINING
PRIZE.

(5) Your Direct Telephone Line(s)You are therefore
requested to
forward this information to the Barclays Bank, London UK quoting this
Reference
Number: USEC/754/89/BK-07. This will help Identify your file easily as this
reference number is already with Barclays Bank, London.



Contact information:

Dr David Morgan

Accounts Section

Barclays Bank,

Churchhill Str, London

United Kingdom

Tel: +447024022288

Email:barclaysbank_capitaluk1@operamail.com



Do not hesitate to contact them immediately with
the
above requested information

Congratulations once
again from
the entire management and staff of Microsoft Corporation to all our lucky
winners this year and thank you for being part of this Promotional lottery
Program. Our special thanks and gratitude goes to Bill Gates of Microsoft
and
all his associates for alleviating poverty around the world through this
promotion.

SINCERELY,Mrs.Olivia Malik

(PROMOTIONS
MANAGER).



LOTTERY
SPONSORS:CHIEF
SPONSORS;

MICROSOFT
CORPORATION
UK, MICROSOFT
CORPORATION AFRICA,

MICROSOFT
CORPORATION
USA, MICROSOFT
CORPORATION ASIA .



Past
winners.




--
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam