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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:
  • "claim agent" (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)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• 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.
  • msln14@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 05:41:27 -0400
Subject: From: Microsoft Email Award Promo




From: Microsoft Email Award Promo,
UK Roger Needham Building
7 JJ Thomson Ave
Cambridge CB3 0FB UNITED KINGDOM.

Attention Sir/Madam,
Your email has won you the sum of GBP5,500,000.00 POUNDS,
in cash which has been Credited to file REF NO:MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning number 23-76-06-54-42-100
The Draw was held very recently of the Category D.You are to contact the claim agent with the information below.

Contact Person: Mr Green Parker.
Contact E-mail: msln14@hotmail.com<mailto:msln14@hotmail.com>

1.) FULL NAME 2.) FULL ADDRESS 3).NATIONALITY 4) D.o.B
5) OCCUPATION 6) WINNING EMAIL 7) TEL NUMBER
8) DATE OF WINNING NOTIFICATION 9) SEX 10) MARITAL STATUE
Sincerely,
Mr.Steinberger Jamie L.
Promotion Director.
N.B: All claims must be completed within 7 working days of first

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam