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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:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  • +447045757428 (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.
  • venks_rao@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: McDonald Ray <mcdonaldray@live.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 13:42:09 -0500
Subject:






Microsoft CorAporation.10 Great Pulteney Street,London,W1F 9NBUnited Kingdom.Ref: BTD/968/07Batch: 409978E

Dear Lucky Winner,

I am in receipt to your mail,I am Mr.McDonald Ray your Microsoft Promotion Fiduciary Agent, and my duty is to lead you through the process of claiming your winning prize £500,000.00 Pounds in the on going British Microsoft Promotional Award programm and make sure it is claimed by the rightful owner of this email address (venks_rao@yahoo.com). In order to process your claim you should kindly fill our form below to enable me proceed with the claim process.This is for security reason and also to avoid unwarranted claming of winnings.
THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE BENEFICIARY OF THE STATED FUND, FOR VERIFICATION BEFORE TRANSFER.

(1) BENEFICIARY FIRST NAME_______________
(2) BENEFICIARY LAST NAME_______________
(3) NATIONALITY_________________________(4) RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS_________________
(5) DATE OF BIRTH_______________________(6) SEX__________________________________
(7) TEL. NUMBER_________________________(8) FAX NUMBER___________________________(9) EMAIL ADDRESS_______________________
(10) AMOUNT WON________________________(11) OCCUPATION_________________________
(12) MARITAL STATUS______________________
DECLARATION:
I_____________________HEREBYDECLARE THAT THE ABOVE DATA ARE TRUE. THAT MY CLAIMS AGENT SHALL ACT AS A FACILITATOR IN THE TRANSFER OF THE TOTAL FUND TO ME.
DATE_________________________________(YOUR FULL NAMES)_____________________


Congratulations to you from the entire staff of the British Microsoft Award Team.



Mr.McDonald Ray.
MICROSOFT PROMO FIDUCIARY AGENT.
UNITED KINGDOM.






Mr.McDonald Ray.Microsoft Promotion Fiduciary Agent.Head Winning Claims Dept.
Tel:+447045757428

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam