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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!
  
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• 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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims director" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",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)
  • "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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Yahoo! Co-Operation" <sirmorris-anderson@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:06:10 GMT
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?We_Have_Been_Trying_To_Reach_You=28You_Have_Won?=
=?UTF-8?Q?_=C2=A31=2C000=2C000=2E00=29?=


YAHOO=21-MICROSOFT FINANCIAL
PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT UK.
REF:MICRO-YAHOO7/315116127/27
BATCH No:15/623/UK.=20
Registered Lottery No: 220949.

We hereby announce the official notification of the results of the =
Yahoo=21-Microsoft Financial Promotions held this Month in which your =
e-mail address emerged winner.Your e-mail address attached to ticket =
number 883734657492-5319 with serial number 7263-267, batch number =
8254297137,lottery ref number 7336065782 and drew lucky numbers =
14-22-28-37-40-44 which consequently won you the cash prize in the 1st =
category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of =
=C2=A31,000,000.00 (i.e One Million United Kingdom Pounds).Please note =
that this Promotional Programmes tagged =22Thanks for contributing to our =
financial Sucess=22 was sponsored and organized by the Yahoo=21 Microsoft =
Corporation in view of the Financial benefits YAHOO=21 have received from =
its numerous customers either through adverts, hosting and personal =
emails.=20

The reason this lottery was organized is to thank the numerous public =
including users and non-users of YAHOO=21 MAIL for the financial benefits =
THE YAHOO=21 MICROSOFT CORPORATION have received as a result of their =
Patronage last Year.This Lottery is approved and licensed by the =
International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR). This lottery is the =
first of its kind organised by YAHOO=21 MICROSOFT In view of this, your =
One Million United Kingdom Pounds (=C2=A31,000,000.00) would be released =
to you by the claims office here in UK. The reason this lottery was =
organized is to thank the numerous public including users and non-users of =
YAHOO=21 MAIL for the financial benefits THE MICROSOFT-YAHOO=21 =
CORPORATION have received as a result of their Patronage last Year.

For processing and remittance of your winnings, you are required to =
contact our designated claims director providing him with your detailed =
information as listed below;

Contact Info:
SIR.MORRIS ANDERSON
Remittance Director
Yahoo=21-Microsoft Promotions Unit.
44 Moorfields London EC2Y 9AL UNITED KINGDOM
Email:sirmorris-anderson=40live.com

APPLICATION FOR PRIZE CLAIM
FULL NAMES................................
CONTACT ADDRESS......................
COUNTRY...................................
SEX:...........................................
AGE............................................
MARITAL STATUS.........................
OCCUPATION..............................
NATION ALITY.............................
TELEPHONE NUMBER....................
HAVE YOU A PASSPORT OR LICENCE(Proof Of Identity):
BATCH NUMBER. ........................
REFERENCE NUMBER............. ......

Once Again Thanks For Contributing To Our Financial Success=21=21=21

Yours Sincerely,
Steve Ballmer
Chief Executive Officer
Yahoo=21-Microsoft Corporation.=

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam