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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <mrfred_cole@yahoo.com.cn>
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 02:20:07 -0500
Subject:
=?windows-1256?Q?CONTACT_MANAGER_OF_eCOURIER_SERVICES:AS_FOR_THE_COST_OF_?=
=?windows-1256?Q?DELIVERY_CALL_THEM_ON:+44_703_193_3968=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE?=




Microsoft Corporation#1 Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052. United Kingdom


ATTENTION :Ed Hoogenes, This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the Microsoft 2008 Promotion Sweepstakes International program.
We happily inform you that your winning prize of ?1,000,000.00 (One Million Great British Pound ) has been endorsed with your personal informations on a certified cheque by the correspondent bank of the Microsoft Corporation and a British fund release document issued with your informations from the British economic/financial regulation department.
ATTENTION !!!

1. NOTE THAT DRAFT CERTIFIED CHEQUE HAVE BEEN ENDORSED, FORWARDED TO THE COURIER COMPANY.

2. NOTE THAT THE COURIER COMPANY CANNOT DEDUCT FROM YOUR WINNING CHEQUE.
3. GIVE YOUR CORRECT DELIVERY ADDRESS TO THE COURIER COMPANY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY OF YOUR CHEQUE.
FIND BELOW THE DETAIL'S OF THE E. COURIER COMPANY.E.courier Service?Home Deliveing
MR. ANDREA SMART (DESPATCH OFFICER)
Customer/Delivery Services Department658 Ajax Avenue Slough Berkshire SL1 4BG
e-Mail : e.courier_service_01@live.com e.courier_service_01@yahoo.co.uk
Tel : ++44 (703) 193 3968 Tel : ++44 (703) 192 6251
Open 7days-24hrs-365days
You are advised to send the courier company a mail to their email address for their courier cost when contacting them, Please you are advised to write down the Your Ref #:(TWCL/OBL/I4-X6/00) and save it.Note: you are to Quote your complete names, resident address and your direct phone number so that they can honor your letter. for comfirmation dial the E.couruer Service Care Line (+44 703 193 3968), you will be require to enter your PIN NUMBER (91240076) to redirect to the department which is in charges of the delivery of your winning's.Once again I say congratulations and always inform me with your dealings with the courier company.
Mr Fred Cole
MICROSOFT AWARD DEPARTMENT.United Kingdom

You are advice to keep your Reference Number and your Batch Number out of Public and also your Neigbourhood. Inorder, to avoid double claim of your prize award.Due to past experience from other winners.


Congratulations Once Again From The Entire Staff of The Microsoft?/font> Award Team



_________________________________________________________________
Color coding for safety: Windows Live Hotmail alerts you to suspicious email.
http://windowslive.com/Explore/Hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_safety_112008

Anti-fraud resources: