419 scam: MasterCard / Microsoft Mega Jackpot <da42-----dae56@att.net> Attn:Winner

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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)
- "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!

Fraud email example:

From: MasterCard / Microsoft Mega Jackpot <da42-----dae56@att.net>
Reply-To: megajackpot1@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:52:56 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Attn:Winner

MasterCard / Microsoft
INTERNATIONAL MEGA JACKPOT
Bradford City Centre Branch
7
hustlergate bradford, West Yorkshire
MICROSOFT OFFICE, UNITED KINGDOM
DIRECTOR:

Mr. Cassie L Patzer

Attn:Winner
Winning No:M/card/456/2011
Ticket

No:Mcard/647/2011
Notification Date:22/03/2011

AMOUNT WON: £500,000.00GBP
(Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds). This email address has
brought you an unexpected luck,Your e-mail address was selected and
confirmed among the 200 winners by our co-sponsor Microsoft
International, through their latest internet software. You are therefore
been approved by MasterCard Int. /Microsoft UK the sum of £500,000.00
(Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds).

CONTACT CLAIMS
ADMINISTRATOR.
NAME: David Knight
Email: davidknight1@blumail.org
Call Him : Tel: {+44} 7035-927-987
MasterCard
/
Microsoft Promotion Department

Email the above Claims
Administrator, at once with all the claims requirements below. To avoid
unnecessary delay. They are needed to proceed.Claims
Requirements:

1. Full Name:2. Address:3.
Nationality:4. Sex:5. Age:6. Occupation:7. Cell Phone:9. Email
Address:8. Country:

PROCEDURES / RIGHTS AND
PRECAUTIONS. Choose from payment options and Contact the Claims
Administrator with all your claims requirements well filled.

(i).Delivery

of Certified Check of £500,000.00 GBP by a registered Courier Company.
(ii).Delivery

of Atm Visa Master Card of £500,000.00 GBP by a registered Courier
Company.

Secretary,

Mrs.Claudia Goncalves Vianna
MasterCard

/ Microsoft Mega Jackpot
Copyright 2011 Microsoft Inc. All rights
reserved

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam