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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 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)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",500,000" (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)
  • "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)
  • "u.k " (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.
  • +447045705388 (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.
  • anthonydandy_msw2@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: =?us-ascii?Q?MICROSOFT=20WORD=20AWARD=20INC?= <djmooka@seznam.cz>
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 02:39:40 +0100 (CET)
Subject: =?us-ascii?Q?ELECTRONIC=20MAIL=20AWARD=20NOTICE=20=28=20CONTACT=20YOUR=20CLAIMS=20OFFICER=20=29?=

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT
89 New Fetter Lane London,EC4A 1AG U.K
MR. TINZO PAOLO
REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L
BATCH: 4583JL/WIN

MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY PROMOTIONS, EMAIL AWARD PROMO:


Finally today, we announce the winners of the MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT
LOTTOWINNINGS PROGRAMS , Your company or your personal e-mail address,
attached to winning number 23-76-06-54-42-100, with serial
number647489, consequently won in the Tenth
lottery category.

You are therefore been approved for lump sums pay out of GBP
5,500,000.00 POUNDS ($10,464,000 USD) in cash Credited to file REF
NO:MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning number 23-76-06-54-42-100, this is from
total prize money of GBP 27,500,000.00 POUNDS, shared among the Twenty
five (25)international winners in this category.

All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot
system drawn form 42,000 Names, 6,000 names from each continent, as
part of International E-MAIL Promotions Program, for our prominent MS
WORD user all over the world, and for the Continuous use of E-mail.
Your fund (certified Cashiers c heque) has been insured with your REF NO:
MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning number 23-76-06-54-42-100. To claim your
winning prize, you must first contact the claims department by email for
Processing and remittance of your prize money to you. The claims
processor is:

Name: Mr. Anthony Dandy
E-mail:anthonydandy_msw2@hotmail.com



Do email the above email a ddresses, all at once. In order to avoid
unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your
reference and winning numbers in all correspondences with your claims
officer.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU ARE TO SEND THE BELOW INFORMATIONS REQUIRED TO
CLAIM YOUR WINNING PRIZE:

1. Full Name: .........................
2. Address: ..............................
3. Nationality: .....................................................
4. Age: ........................Date of Birth: ......
5. Occupation: ..................................................
6. Phone: ..........Fax: .................................
7. State of Origin: .........Country: ................
8: DELIVERY OPTIONS

DELIVERY OPTIONS:
(1): BANK SWIFT WIRE TRANSFER
(2): COME TO OUR OFFSHORE PAYMENT CENTER IN UK
(3): BY OUR COURIER FIRM,
Sincerely, Mrs. Maurrine Diane H.
Secretary

NOTE: Do not reply this mail. You are to contact your claims officer
immediately by email. Or call the promotion director MR. TINZO PAOLO on

PHONE #:+447045705388 to confirm your winnings.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam