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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: Mary Connolly <mslotto@ymail.com>
Reply-To: ledleyb@rediffmail.com
Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2012 15:57:20 -0700
Subject: 2012 Lottery Winner


FROM: THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
MICROSOFT PROMOTIONS / PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
MICROSOFT LOTTO PROMOTION,
112 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE,
Microsoft District HEADQUARTERS
London (United Kingdom)

RE- WINNING NOTIFICATION / FINAL NOTICE

We are happy to inform you that you have won a prize money of One Million
Five Hundred Thousand British Pounds Sterling (£1,500,000.00 GBP) for the
month of July lottery promotion which is organized by MICROSOFT!. This
result is released to you today and your e-mail address is attached to
ticket number: 014-026-433-162, with serial number 3217-22 drew the lucky
numbers 80-62-14-53-11-70, which subsequently won you the lottery in the
second category.

>From a total cash prize of Eleven Million British Pounds, (£11, 000,000
GBP) shared amongst the first Eight (8) lucky winners in this category “B".
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of One Million Five
Hundred Thousand-British Pounds (£1, 500,000 GBP) credited to the file REF
NO. MSL/61230235017/12.

Annually MICROSOFT! collects all the E-mail id of the people that are
connected online through Microsoft amongs the Millions that browse, Eight
People Are Been selected All Over The World.Our Winners Are Selected
Through Electronic Balloting System Without The Winner Applying.This
lottery program was organized by Microsoft computer software’s
manufacturers here in U.K. while the program was promoted and sponsored by
the eminent personalities such as, Bill Gates of Microsoft Inc, Carly
Fiorina of Hewlett Packard, Glen Boreham of IBM Australia Limited, Yahoo
Inc., Hotmail Inc., Multi Choice Company, and many other corporate
Organizations as the program was organized to improve the use of computer
software and also for the benefit of every user of yahoo, hotmail and
Microsoft software.

To Begin Your Claims, Kindly Contact The Fiduciary

Agent For Your Prize :
CLAIMS AGENT :

Mr. LEDLEY BROWN
Email: ledleyb@rediffmail.com

You are required to feed the claims agent with your Ref No.
MSL/61230235017/12. to acertain the credibility of your claim to enable him
give you further details and procedures to recieve your prize money.

NOTE: YOU ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO KEEP ALL YOUR WINNING DETAILS
CONFIDENTIAL TILL CLAIM IS MADE TO AVOID WRONG OR DOUBLE CLAIMING. HOWEVER,
WE BEST ADVICE THAT THIS NOTICE IS KEPT PERSONAL FOR YOUR SAFETY UNTIL YOU
RECIEVE YOUR MONEY AS ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIAL DISQUALIFIES YOU FROM
GETTING YOUR PRIZE.

Congratulations Once More!!

Yours Faithfully,

Dr.Austin Woods Finance Director,
Mr. Ledley Brown Fiduciary Agent,
Dr.Ronny Smith Promotions Manager.

Note: Any winner who is under age of 20 would be required to adopt parental
guidelines prior to claim proceedings and all claims must be done not later
than 10 workings from when this message is delivered.

Anti-fraud resources: