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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 UK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <patrickparker121@msn.coM>
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:36:13 -0000
Subject: SECURE YOUR R.D.D NUMBER. 334/5567/6775 CMP

Microsoft Incorporation
Stamford New Road,
Altrincham Cheshire,
WA14 1EP
London,
United Kingdom.
 
MICROSOFT ANNIVERSARY WINNING NOTIFICATION.
 
We wish to congratulate you once again on this note, for being part of our winners selected this year.
 
This promotion was set-up to encourage the active users of the Microsoft.
 
Hence we do believe with your winning prize, you will continue to be active and patronage to the Microsoft.
Microsoft is now the biggest computer company worldwide and in an effort to make sure that it remains the most widely company,
we ran an online e-mail beta test which your email address won £600,000,00.
 
We wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the requirements, statutory obligations, verifications, validations and satisfactory report Test conducted for all online winners.
 
A winning cheque will be issued in your name by the Microsoft Promotion Award Team, You have therefore won the entire sum of £600,000,00 {Six Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds} and also a certificate of prize claims will be sent along side your winnings cheque.
 
Microsoft Promotion Award Team
Dr. Patrick Parker
Email:patrickparker121@msn.com 
 
 
You are advised to contact your Foreign Transfer Manager with the following details to avoid unnecessary delay and complications:
 
 
VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM.
 
(1) Your contact address.
(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.
(3) Your Nationality/Country.
(4) Your Full Name.
(5) Occupation
(6) Age.
(7) Religion.
(8) Zip Code
(9) Your Preferred Method of Receiving Your Prize (From Below)
(10)Courier delivery of winning cheque and winning documents
(11)Cash pick up in UK London,coming down personal to claim your price
 
 
The Microsoft Promotion Award Team has discovered a huge number of double claims due to winners
informing close friends relatives and third parties about their winning and also sharing their pin numbers.
As a result of this, these friends try to claim the lottery on behalf of the real winners.
 
The Microsoft Promotion Award Team has reached a decision from headquarters that any double claim discovered
by the Lottery Board will result to the canceling of that particular winning, making a loss for both the double claimer
and the real winner, as it is taken that the real winner was the informer to the double claimer about the lottery.
So you are hereby strongly advised once more to keep your winnings strictly confidential until you claim your prize.
Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the Microsoft interactive Lotteries Board Commission
 
Sincerely,
Dr. Leslie Spears.
Microsoft Incorporation.

Anti-fraud resources: