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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
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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:
  • "clear source of funds certificate" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "certificates of origin of funds" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • ",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)
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
• 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.
  • +447024053694 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • peakcourierdpt03@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:47:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: CONTACT THE SHIPPING COMPANY FOR DELIVERY OF YOUR WINNING




#yiv1918619843 #yiv1281370586 #yiv1215458740 #yiv703473039 .ExternalClass .EC_hmmessage P
{padding:0px;}
#yiv1918619843 #yiv1281370586 #yiv1215458740 #yiv703473039 .ExternalClass body.EC_hmmessage
{font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;}



MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM
Microsoft Corporation
#1 Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052.
 
FUND CLAIM DEPARTMENT.
 
 
Attn:drs j.j.jong,
 
Congratulations once again on behalf of the MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM/FREE LOTTERY. We do believe that your winnings will be put into good use for community, educational and business development.


On Behalf of the Screening Committee of MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM/FREE LOTTERY, I wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the Email Screening and Verification Form Matching Test conducted for all online winners in your Category. Hence you are therefore cleared  for payment.. In respect of sending you these documents a private and confidential courier
company here in the Uk have been awarded to do so, you are hereby advised to  contact the PEAK-Courier company.
 
All necessary documents  has been processed and sent to the PEAK-Courier company  for prompt delivery to your address that you have provided to us. The MICROSOFT COMPANY has sent the bellow documents to the Courier company.
 
1. BANK DRAFT VALUED £1,000,000.00
2.WINNING CERTIFICATE FROM THE MICRMICROSOFT AWARD TEAM/FREE LOTTERY.
3.CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES(C.S.F.C.)
4.CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN OF FUNDS(C.O.F.)
5.LETTER OF AFFIDAVITS FROM THE BRITISH HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE, STATING THAT THE WINNING WAS RECEIVED LEGALLY FROM THE MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM/FREE LOTTERY, AND DUELY SIGNED BY THE LEGAL ATTORNEY TO THE MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM/FREE LOTTERY.

You are to contact  the courier company via email for your won prize( £1,000,000.00 ) .
Here is your parcel delivery number:  MIC/OGD/4221.
******************************************************************************************

Please contact the  PEAK-Courier company via email immediately.
 
PEAK-Courier company.
Customer Services Department
90 Harewood Row,
London, NW1 6SE
England.
             Contact person: Mr John West.
             Tell: +44-702-405-3694
             Email: peakcourierdpt03@yahoo.co.uk
            
******************************************************************************************
 
I will require a concise update on proceedings with the firm as soon as you
are in contact with them.
If you need any assistance whatsoever, please do not hesitate to let me know.
 
Note: You are advice to keep every details regarding the delivery of your winning Bank Draft personal.


Best Regards,


Willford Gart
Foreign Services Manager,
Payment and Release order Department,
TRANS-ATLANTIC S.A LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam