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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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: mircrosoftoffice@netscape.net
Date: 7 May 2006 12:31:48 -0000
Subject: MICROSOFT EMAIL AWARD PROMO RESULT


UK Roger Needham Building
7 JJ Thomson Ave
Cambridge CB3 0FB
UNITED KINGDOM


Attention Sir/Madam,
Winning Notification Ref: 0927/APRIL DRAW/006

We happily announce to you the Micro Euro Email lottery draw of the Lottery International programs held in the UK on 12TH. APRIL. 2006. Your e-mail address attached to the lucky winning no numbers below: 19, 25, 28, 39, 41, 44,which subsequently won you the lottery bonus draw . You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of $12,500,000 (Twelve Million and five hundred thousand dollar) .

To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary Agent the legal department email below:

MR LARRY PAULSON
Email: microsoftpromoaward01@uk2.net

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your full names, your country, your private Telephone and fax number, your reference/batch numbers etc in any correspondences with our designated agent or us. Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program. Thanks for your co-operation


Sincerely
Co-ordinator
Richard K. Lloyd.


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam