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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "claims office" (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)
  • ",000,000" (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 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.
  • paulwalters2007@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Susan Smith" <mrsusansmith200000@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <lotterycoordinatoragent2007@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 22:18:14 +0000
Subject: Microsoft price award winner


FROM THE DESK OF THE COORDINATOR [MICROSOFT GLOBAL EMAIL LOTTERY]INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENTFOR YOUR CLAIM, CONTACT : paulwalters2007@yahoo.co.uk Ref. Number: 132/756/40027 Batch Number: 538901527-BC722 Dear lucky winner, We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Our Global Email Lottery program held on the 30th June,2007. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 37511465899-6410 with serial number 4872-510 drew lucky numbers 7-14-88-23-3545 which consequently won in the 1st category, you have therefore been approved for the sum of $ 500,000.00 USD (Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). CONGRATULATIONS!!! Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 company and 30,000,000 individual email addresses from across the Globe as part of our International Promotions Program.This program takes place every three years. We hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next USD One million international lottery. To file for your claim, please contact our claims office: Mr.Paul Walters (MICROSOFT CLAIMS OFFICE) 32 Palmstraat, Area Manchaster London.E-Mail: paulwalters2007@yahoo.co.uk For Claims, We require you fill this form and return to your claims agent immediately. Name(In Full):___________________________Age:__________________________________Sex:__________________________________Phone Number (Home):___________________Mobile:________________________________Office Number:__________________________Country:_______________________________Present Occupation:_____________________Scanned Copy Of Identity:________________Ref. Number: ______________132/756/40027 Batch Number:_________ 538901527-BC722 Note: For easy reference and identification, find below your reference and Batch numbers. Remember to quote these numbers in every one of your correspondence with our claims department, also indicate your country and city. Ref. Number: 132/756/40027 Batch Number: 538901527-BC722 Congratulations once more from our members of staff, and thank you for being part of our promotional program. Sincerely Yours,Mrs. Susan SmithLottery Coordinator. This e-mail is confidential and privileged. Please do not copy, disclose or distribute information in this e-mail: to do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you are under the age of 18 kindly inform our claim office that this message has gone astray before deleting it. Thank you for your co-operation. Copyright © microsoft 2007.
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam