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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:
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "transfer of your funds" (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)
• 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.
  • +31624746942 (Netherlands, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Toshiba-Microsoft <toshibamicrosoftpromo@o2.pl>
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 10:37:26 +0200
Subject: Congratulations!You won 1 million USD

CONGRATULATION-WINNING NOTIFICATION
TOSHIBA-MICROSOFT POLAND
SWEEPSTAKES DIVISION,
4 NEW BALTAZAR I.T PARK,
WARSAW, POLAND.

Dear Winner,
Congratulations!
With utmost joy, we are pleased to inform you of the result of the Toshiba-Microsoft promotional draws
held on the 6th April 2007 which drew a cash prize of $1,000,000.00. Your e-mail address attached to
Ticket/Code number 0087411652337 with claim/reference number 085093785/06 drew these lucky
numbers 007-49746-041-764-64-2091, which consequently won in the 1st category. You have been
approved to receive a cash prize of $1,000,000.00 (One million USD).

Be advised that due to incessant mix up in cash prize transfer to previous winners, we advise that you
keep your winning information confidential until your claim has been processed and released to you. This
security measure is crucial; its a measure put in place to avoid double claims, transfer and unwarranted
abuse of this program by other participants.

METHOD OF SELECTING WINNERS:
participants were selected anonymously through a private ballot system (computer
ballot) from over 35,000 companies and 70,000 individual e-mail addresses all
over the world. At the final draw your e-mail address emerged as the winner of
our last jackpot.This is promotional program takes place bi-annually as a means of promoting our rapidly
growing computer software company and also to reward
some individuals and corporations who have devoted their time and resources
surfing the world wide web (www) with their email addresses.And it is promoted and
sponsored by Microsft Inc.,Winning.com and the telecom giant O2.Hence this sweepstake also serve as
promotion for the services offerred by all sponsors aforementioned.

Remember, all winnings must be claimed not later than 7 working days from today.
After the expiration of that time frame, if your funds are unclaimed, it will be
refunded to us and included in our next draws.

Lastly, in order to avoid unnecessary delays/complications with the transfer of
your funds to you, please always remember to quote your Code number in all
correspondence with our paying agent.Furthermore,should there be any change of your present address,
please notify us immediately so we can make the appropriate adjustment.
Congratulations from the management and staff of Toshiba-Microsoft, Winning.com & O2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to a complicated tax and legal and payout system here in Poland,the approved paying agent for this
sweepstake is in Amsterdam,The Netherlands.So do kindly, immediately, contact our approved Paying
Agent in The Netherlands for your payment advice.Send them following e-mail:

I ..................................
with e-mail address:...............
contact address:....................
Ticket and code number:................,..........................
the winner of the Toshiba-Microsoft Poland, Winning.com & O2 lottery promotion
cash prize of $1,000,000.00. Kindly advise me with details of the process of the
transfer of my cash prize within the next 7-working days.

Contact details of our Paying Agent:

BMB Finance Services,
E-mail: customerinfo@cbgb.net
clientservice@cbgb.net

Tele:+31-62-474-6942
Fax: +31-847-36-8943
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

On reciept of this notification do endeavour to contact the approved and authorised paying agent
indicated above as your lump sum cash winning,verification and payment instructions have already been
forwarded to them.

Congratulations.
Yours in services,
Claudia Krzsyzstof.
(Lottery Coordinator)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam