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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: "Mrs Caro Smith" <microsoft20@oued.info>
Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 09:42:17 GMT
Subject: Congratulation!!! (Dear Brian Fernandes)

Dear Brian Fernandes,
 
You are among the 25winners of the Microsoft lotto lottery winners which was held here in Africa on the 4th aug 2006.
 
You are hereby informed to contact our offshore paying center in London for your claim. You are adviced to complete the information requested in the application of claim with your serial number and the lucky wining number.
 
The contact of the London bank is as stated below:
 
BRITISH INTERNATIONAL BANK
21Cresent Street, London W12B 3HH - United Kingdom
Tel: 00447031835470, Tel/Fax: 00447031835495
Email:bankers@britishinternationalbank.com
Email:britishibnk@accountant.com
 
Congratulation!!!
 
Yours faithfully.       
Queen
Salote
Tupou III
of

Tonga

(1918-65)
Mrs Caro Smith.
 
One of the logos
of
Microsoft
Windows,
the
Company's
best-known
product.
 
                                       APPLICATION OF CLAIM
REF: MICROSOFT LOTTERY WINNER
 
 
1.Full Name:............................................................................................
2.Address:..............................................................................................
3.Nationality:..........................................................................................
4.Age:.........................Date of Birth:......................................................
5.Occupation:..........................................................................................
6.Phone:..................................Fax:..........................................................
7.State of Origin:.....................................................................................
8.Serial Number...............................................................
9.Reference Number................................................................................
10.Security Code Number......................................................................
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bryan Ferns writes:
> Hello Mrs. Basheera Abubakar & Mrs. Caro Smith
>
> Re : Security Code: MSW/AUG/XX06
> Email : bryanferns@yahoo.com
>
> My name is Brian Fernandes, and I am replying to your email which you sent to me in reference to Microsoft Windows Winner your email dated Sunday, February 04th, 2007.
>
> I would like to know how to go about claiming my prize as I am located in Dubai in United Arab Emirates.
>
> My address is as follows:
>
> BRIAN FERNANDES
> C/o P.O.Box: 25685
> DUBAI - U.A.E.
>
> (Tel): 009714 3373636
> (Fax): 009714 3373626
> (Mob): 0097150 6763304
>
> Your earliest reponse is appreciated.
>
> Thanking you in advance.
>
> Kind Regards,
> BRIAN FERNANDES
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Mrs. Basheera Abubakar" wrote:
>
>
>
> MOTTO: FIGHTING POVERTY ROUND THE WORLD
>
> FROM: THE DESK OF THE E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
> AWARD DEPARTMENT, MICROSOFT CORPORATION WORD LOTTERY
> UNITED KINGDOM.61-70 Southampton Row,
> Bloomsbury London United Kingdom WC1B 4AR.
>
> REFERENCE NO: MSW-L/200-26937
> BATCH NO: 2006SEPT#22
> WINNER NO: 5
>
> ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION
> AWARD PRESENTATION CENTER: UNITED KINGDOM
>
> DEAR BRYAN,
>
> MICROSOFT COOPERATION MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU ARE A WINNER OF OUR ANNUAL MS-WORD LOTTO LOTTERY CONDUCTED IN AFRICA BEING THE HOST OF THE EVENT FOR THIS PRESENT YEAR MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO WINNING PROGRAMS HELD ON 4TH, AUG 2006.
>
> YOUR PERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS OR COMPANY EMAIL WAS ATTACHED TO AUGUST MSWLL. WITH SERIAL NUMBER S/N-00168 DREW THE LUCKY NUMBERS 887-13-865-37-10-83, AND CONSEQUENTLY WON IN THE FIRST LOTTERY CATEGORY. YOU HAVE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED FOR LUMP SUMS OF $ 1,000,000 (USD ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) PAYABLE IN CASH CREDITED TO FILE REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937 THIS IS FROM TOTAL PRIZE MONEY OF $ 25,000,000 USD, SHARED AMONG THE TWENTY-FIVE (25) LUCKY INTERNATIONAL WINNERS IN FIRST AND SECOND CATEGORY.
>
> ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE SELECTED FROM WORLDWIDE WEBSITES ESPECIALLY YAHOO MAIL THROUGH OUR MICROSOFT COMPUTER BALLOT SYSTEM DRAWN FROM 21,000 NAMES, 3,000 NAMES FROM EACH CONTINENT (CANADA, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATE, EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND OCEANIA, AS PART OF INTERNATIONAL "E-MAIL" PROMOTIONS PROGRAM, WHICH IS CONDUCTED ANNUALLY FOR OUR PROMINENT MS -WORD USERS ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF INTERNET AND COMPUTERS WORLDWIDE.
>
> YOUR FUND (CERTIFIED CHEQUE) HAS BEEN INSURED WITH YOUR REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937 AND WILL BE READY FOR DELIVERY. IT WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOU BY ONE OF OUR CLAIM AGENT IN CHARGE OF YOUR ZONE (Mrs. Caro Smith). YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS SHOULD BE USED IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER, PLEASE NOTE THAT, YOU ARE TO CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER VIA EMAIL AND PHONE AS WE ARE PROMOTING THE USE OF E-MAIL. ALSO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL HER TO CONFIRM YOUR WINNINGS AND GOVERNMENT TAX PAYMENT THAT IS ALL, AS SHE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE NECESSARY DETAILS ON HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE.
>
> AS PART OF OUR SECURITY PROTOCOL YOU ARE TO QUOTE THIS SECURITY CODE MSW/AUG/XX06 TO YOUR CLAIMING AGENT. THIS IS TO PREVENT SCAM .
>
>
> PRIZE CLAIM
>
>
> CLAIMS AGENT OFFICER CONTACT EMAIL IS:
>
> Mrs. Caro Smith
> SECETARY
> CLAIMS AGENT
> E-MAIL: microsoft20@oued.info
> CELL PHONE: +225 01387814
>
> REMEMBER, ALL PRIZE MONEY MUST BE CLAIMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALL FUNDS NOT CLAIMED ON OR BEFORE THE FIXED DATE WILL BE RETURNED AS UNCLAIMED AND DONATED TO CHARITY ORGANIZATION IN AFRICA.
>
> NOTE: IN ORDER TO AVOID MISTAKES, PLEASE REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR REFERENCE AND BATCH NUMBERS AND YOUR SECURITY CODE OF MSW/AUG/XX06 IN ALL CORRESPONDENCES WITH YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER. DO NOT REPLY ANY OTHER MAILS LIKE THIS ON NET, AS THEY ARE A LOT OF SCAM ARTIST OUT THERE PRETENDING TO BE US. YOU MAY SEE MAILS LIKE THIS DO NOT REPLY. DO CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER Mrs. Caro Smith. AT ONCE YOU WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE SOME DETAILS TO ENABLE THE OFFICE PROCEED WITH YOUR WINNING CERTIFICATE AND FILE KEEPING.
>
> CONGRATULATIONS, ONCE MORE FROM THE ENTIRE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF MICROSOFT COOPERATION TO ALL OUR LUCKY WINNERS THIS YEAR. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS PROMOTIONAL LOTTERY PROGRAM. OUR SPECIAL THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO BILL GATE OF MICROSOFT AND ALL HIS ASSOCIATES FOR ALLEVIATING POVERTY ROUND THE WORLD.
> SINCERELY,
>
>
>
> Mrs. Basheera Abubakar Mrs. Caro Smith
> (Co-coordinator). (Secretary)
>
> LOTTERY SPONSORS: CHIEF SPONSORS;
> MICROSOFT CORPORATION UK, MICROSOFT CORPORATION AFRICA,
> MICROSOFT CORPORATION USA, MICROSOFT CORPORATION ASIA.
>
>
> Past winners.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Live.com Jouez et gagnez des Xbox 360!
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate
> in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A.

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