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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • ",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 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.
  • +27731815660 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • microofficeboard@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • msn-services-2008@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS. CATHY BROWN " <msn-services-2008@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:41:42 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATION WINNING LOTTERY FUND


===============================================================================
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,

***ELECTRONIC EMAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION AWARD PRESENTATION CENTER :
UNITED KINGDOM***

Attn:
Winner
**

Microsoft#153-corporations management worldwide is pleased to inform you
that you are a winner of our annual MICROSOFT#153; USER AWARD-Lottery
conducted in South Africa
Your personal e-mail address or company email was attached to Serial No:
SALP97585. Subsequently winning in the first lottery category. You have
therefore been approved for a total sum of £800,000 (Eight Hundred
Thousand United
Kingdom Pounds) Credited to FILE No: B665 75608567. With
REF.:PEC/9030108308/08. This is from total prize money of £60,000,000,
awarded to Seventy-five (75) lucky winners in first category. All
participants were selected through our Microsoft#153; computer ballot
system, drawn from user emails from Canada, Asia, Australia, United States,
Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of international
"MICROSOFT#153; USER" promotions program which is conducted annually.
*********************************************

CALL OR CONTACT CLAIM OFFICE THROUGH THE EMAILL ADDRESSES BELOW

*Mr. Collins Davis. *
* PROMOTION MANAGER. *
* **Tel:+27 731815660.** *
*microofficeboard@gmail.com*<http://us.f325.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=microofficeboard@gmail.com>AND
* *msn-services-2008@hotmail.com<http://us.mc325.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=msn-services-2008@hotmail.com>
********************************************
Remember, all prize money must be claimed within 30 days of this
notification. All funds not claimed on or before the fixed date will be
returned as unclaimed and donated to charity organizations. Congratulations,
once more from the entire management and staff of MICROSOFT#153; corporation
to all our lucky winners this year. Thank you for being part of this
promotional lotteryprogram.

******************************************************************************************************************
UPDATE US WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS AND SEND TO THE FOLLOWING CONTACT
EMAIL ADDRESSES
microofficeboard@gmail.com<http://us.f325.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=microofficeboard@gmail.com>

msn-services-2008@hotmail.com<http://us.mc325.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=msn-services-2008@hotmail.com>
(NOTE: SEND TO BOTH EMAIL ADDRESSES microofficeboard@gmail.com AND
msn-services-2008@hotmail.com<http://us.mc325.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=msn-services-2008@hotmail.com>
FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION)
******************************************************************************************************************
1, Full Names: 2, Date of birth: 3, Present Contact Address: 4, Country Of
Residence: 5, Tel/Mobile/Fax: 6, Your Winning serial and ref. no.: 7,
Winning Email address: 8, Occupation 9, Sex: 10 Total amount
won: £800,000 ONLY 11, Mode Of Payment: i, ii,
ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFER [EFT]:
********************************************************************************
For Security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning
informationCONFIDENTIAL to avoid double claim or impersonation
********************************************************************************
Signed
MRS. CATHY BROWN
(SECRETARY)

Microsoft takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the information in this
email is accurate. However, the company gives no warranty, whether express
or implied, regarding the content of this email, nor do we accept liability
for any loss or damage which may result from your receipt of this message.
Any decision made by an individual based on information in this email is the
responsibility of that individual alone. You have to note that the only
person that have the right to represent you in your claim is your appointed
Agent only.
================================================================================
Copyright (c) 1998-2008 The
MICROSOFT; Inc.
All rights reserved. Terms of
Service - Guideline

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam