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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROMOTION 2008" <microlotteryza@games.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:05:52 +0100
Subject: Congratulations you have won!!! (Microsoft Award 2008)


MICROSOFT INTERNET PROMOTION *Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park, Harlesden Cape Town*
**
*South Africa.*
**
*Batch No: 409978E*
*Ref No: BTD/988/04*
*Winning No:W77450T*
**
* ** CONGRATULATION! CONGRATULATION!! CONGRATULATION!!!*

*Dear Winner,*

The prestigious Microsoft/MSN has set out and successfully organised a
Sweepstakes marking the year 2008 anniversary. Rolled out over *
$300,000,000.00* for this year Anniversary Draws. Participants for the
draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosting
which we enjoy their patronage.

The MICROSOFT 2008 PROMOTIONS was held on *16th *of *July 2008 in
Water-Front, Cape-Town South Africa*.

Your email address have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of *($1M)
One million United States Dollars Only* in cash credited to *File
KPC/9030108308/03*.
* *

*To file for your claim, please contact your Claiming Agent immediately.*
**
****
*Name: Mr. Vincent Mashaba *
*Tel:* *+ 27 73 246 1853*
***Email:* *msoftclaimdept@live.com<http://ca.mc357.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=msoftclaimdept@live.com>
*

*Please provide the following details for processing of your **claim.*

*VERIFICATION FORM* * 1, Names in full: 2, Country of Residing: 3,
Nationality:
4, Residential Address: 5, Date of Birth/Age: 6, Marital Statue/Sex: 7,
Tel/Fax: 8, Mobile No: 9, Occupation: 10, Company: 11, Amount Won:
12, Email address: 13, Ref No:

14, Winning No:
*
*MICROSOFT LOTTERY PROMOTION 2008*
Microsoft has obtained your contact details from public internet sources. We
thought that you could be attracted to be part of this promotion with our
company(c) Copyright 2008 Microsoft Lottery promotion All Right Reserve"

Anti-fraud resources: