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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
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "20 craven park, harlesden"
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash)
• 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!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2348051076200 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • mailpostcouriercompany7@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "JOHN WILLIAMS" <service_t@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 11:26:57 -0400
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION

Microsoft Award Team
20 Craven Park, Harlesden
London NW10
United Kingdom
Ref: BTD/968/05
Batch: 409978E
Dear Sir/Madam,
WINNING NOTIFICATION
The prestigious Micrsoft and Aol has set out and sucessfully organised
a Sweepstakes marking the end of year anniversary we rolled out over
$250,000(two hundred and fifty thousand dollars) for our end of year
Anniversary Draws. Participants for the draws were randomly selected
and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their
patronage.
The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching
personalised email addresses to ticket numbers. Bill Gates is sharing
his fortune. If you ignore this, you will regret it later. Microsoft
and
AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make
sure
that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft
and
AOL are running an e-mail data test.
Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to ticket
number 008795727498 with serial numbers BTD/9080648302/06 and drew the
lucky
numbers 14-21-25-39-40-47(20) which subsequently won you $100,000.00
(one Hundred Thousand Dollars) already issued in a cheque as one of the
10
jackpot winners in this draw. You have therefore won the entire winning
sum of $100,000.00 (one Hundred Thousand Dollars). The draws registered
as Draw number one was conducted in Brockley, London United Kingdom .
These Draws are commemorative and as such special.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Africa
booklet representative in west Africa indicated in your play coupon, In
view of
this, your US$100,000.00 (Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
cheque would be released to you by our fiduciary agent in West Africa
Our
Fiduciary agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the
release of your cheque as soon as you contact him.
Make contact with your designated agent who shall by duty guide you
through the process to facilitate the release of your winning cheque.To
file for your claim Please Contact your fiduciary agent

MAILPOST COURIER COMPANY
Mr.KELVIN SMITH
Microsoft Fiduciary Agent
Tell:+234-805-107-6200
Email: mailpostcouriercompany7@yahoo.com
You are advised to contact your fiduciary agent with the following
details to avoid unnecessary delays and complications with your Name
(in Full),
Country, Ticket Number, Batch Number, Serial Number and Lucky Numbers
as indicated in this winning Notification.
Thank you for being part of this promotional award program.Our special
thanks and gratitude to Bill Gates and his associates.We wish you the
best of luck as you spend your good fortune.Thank you for being part of
ourcommemorative end of year Anniversary Draws.Happy end of year
celebration.
Sincerely,
Mr JOHN WILLIAMS
Microsoft Promotion Team
NB:
PLEASE NOTE! Any claim not made before seven (7) working days from
date of notification will indicate that the winner has voluntarily
forfeited
his/her winnings,also note that all winnings must be claimed not later
than 29th of ...March. 2007

_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam