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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 lottery" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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 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.
  • sir.keithdixon001@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MICROSOFT-XP SWEEPSTAKES <micro-xpsweepstake_2007@hotmail.co.uk>
Reply-To: <sir.keithdixon@micro-xp-award.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2007 17:43:58 +0000
Subject: OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION MSC/74347589/07





Microsoft Promotion Award Team40 Ryecroft Way StopsleyLondon,
United Kingdom.




MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION.


We wish to congratulate you once again on this note, for being part of our winners selected this month. This promotion was set-up to encourage the active users of the Internet Microsoft Windows.

Hence we do believe with your winning prize, you will continue to be active and patronage to the Microsoft Windows. We wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the requirements, statutory obligations, verifications, validations and satisfactory report Test conducted for all on line winners. A winning cheque will be issued in your name by Microsoft Corporation board, You have therefore won the entire sum of £450,000,00 {Four Hundred And FiftyThousand Great British Pounds} and also a certificate of prize claims will be sent along side your winnings cheque.
Mr KEITH DIXONMicrosoft Promotion Award TeamEmail:sir.keithdixon@micro-xp-award.com
Alt Email:sir.keithdixon001@yahoo.co.uk
You are advised to contact your Foreign Transfer Manager with the following details to avoid unnecessary delay and complications:


VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM.
(1) Your contact address.(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.(3) Your Nationality/Country.(4) Your Full Names.(5) Occupation/Age.(6) Your Preferred Method Of Receiving Your Prize(From Below)



Mode Of Prize Remittance.

(1)Cash Pick-Up (You coming Down to United Kingdom Personally to Pick Your Prize).

(2)Courier Delivery Of your Certified Winning Cheque Name and other Winning Documents safely to you.


The Microsoft Windows lottery has discovered a huge number of double claims due to winners informing close friends relatives and third parties about their winning and also sharing their pin numbers. As a result of this, these friends try to claim the lottery on behalf of the real winners. The Microsoft lottery has reached a decision from headquarters that any double claim discovered by the Lottery Board will result to the canceling of that particular winning, making a loss for both the double claimer and the real winner, as it is taken that the real winner was the informer to the double claimer about the lottery. So you are hereby strongly advised once more to keep your winnings strictly confidential until you claim your prize.

Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the interative Lotteries Board Commission


Sincerely,Dr. Vicki Abraham Microsoft Promotion Award Team
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam