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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
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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:
  • "from: the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "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)
• 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.
  • microsoft_claim_agent013@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: service contact <contactserv000@web.de>
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:38:12 +0200
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION:




* FROM: THE DESK OF THE E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT, <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>*

UNITED KINGDOM.61-70 <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on">Southampton</st1:place> Row,

Bloomsbury <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:City> United Kingdom WC1B 4AR*<o:p></o:p>*

* <o:p></o:p>*

Dear Winner,<o:p></o:p>


We happily announce to you the Draw (Batch #22) of MICROSOFT CORPORATION *LOTTERY*® held on the 14th June,2008.Your E-mail Address attached to Ticket Number :43566, was picked at random from our computer system.You have won a LUMP SUMS OF $ 1,000,000 ( ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) PAYABLE *BY* TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER (T/T),INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT. YOU ARE A WINNER OF OUR ANNUAL MS-WORD LOTTERY CONDUCTED IN <st1:place w:st="on">AFRICA</st1:place> BEING THE HOST OF THE EVENT FOR THIS PRESENT YEAR LOTTERY WINNING PROGRAMS. Unauthorized reproduction of this program, or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties.<o:p></o:p>

CONTACT CLAIM AGENT:<o:p></o:p>

OWEN DOUGLAS<o:p></o:p>

EMAIL: microsoft_claim_agent013@yahoo.co.uk [mailto:microsoft_claim_agent013@yahoo.co.uk]<o:p></o:p>

PHONE: +27 -73-37-68-942<o:p></o:p>

To avoid delays, you are to quote your winning Batch number,
and also fill the below processing form and return it to this Email:microsoft_claim_agent013@yahoo.co.uk [mailto:microsoft_claim_agent013@yahoo.co.uk] <o:p></o:p>


FULL NAMES OF BENEFICIARY:............................. NATIONALITY:................................................
SEX:.......................AGE:..............................
MARITAL STATUS: .............................................
TEL NO: ............................FAX:....................
NEXT OF KIN: ...............................................
OCCUPATION: .................................................
For claims validation.
Yours Truly,
DAVID RADFORD <o:p></o:p>

Online co-ordinator ® (c) 2008 All Rights Reserved.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>



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*http://smartsurfer.web.de/?mc=100071&distributionid=000000000066* [http://smartsurfer.web.de/?mc=100071&distributionid=000000000066]

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam