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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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 fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "microsoft mega jackpot lottery" (no such lottery exists)
  • "microsoft lottery" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "tax clearance" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "claims office" (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!
• 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.
  • +447045720448 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY U.K. <micro@onlinenotification.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:17:06 +0000
Subject: LETTER OF INQUIRY/INFORMATION LETTER


















































MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY U.K.






REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/LBATCH: 4583JL/WIN

MICROSOFT EMAIL LOTTERY AWARD PROMOTION: UNITED KINGDOM
THE OAKLAND ROUNGE
52 WATERDEN ROAD,
HACKNEY, LONDON,
UNITED KINGDOM
E15 2EE
INFORMATION LETTER


Attention: Alarik Luftmacher,

Thanks for your mail. We understand your plight and every other statement therein as we have noted all. And in response; When you say "you had sent some money to a person who assured you of an offer pretty much similiar as ours (MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY U.K.)" We find it uneasy to comprehend with. What exactly are you insinuating Sir? OR Rather are you spicing your tonque of writtings that these firm disregard your qualities to be a winner, because relly speaking it sparkles lighters up! Unbelieveable, right? Saying such asures this office of may-loose-guarding your said aforemention of a winner notwithstanding the fact that you are a winner of the prestigious lottery from a reputable world class Company. Service to your thinking gentle-man will have to help you much, hence be lettered. Act like one. This is the Microsoft Mega Jackpot Lottery U.K. and not one-man-business-show, ok? So please correct the mistake of refering to singular person. So if you are distrustful, then a little might might show you your worth.

Do know that this days many have been scammed as their are lots of opened hands/arms trying to fraud members of the society with their benevolent considerations of winnings. The Microsoft Mega Jackpot Lottery contacted/notified you concerning your winnings and we believe that they gave you the reference to this office to standing/representing you here in the United Kingdom for the release of your Fund/Winnings. To that we wish to bring to your notice that the Microsoft Mega Jackpot Lottery has a way/confidencial letterheaded mark when written a client/beneficiary towards betterment of security of which is the reference numbers and the batch numbers all always present of which is: REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/LBATCH: 4583JL/WIN So note that of any winning information/notification of any kind you may have received and does not in anyway match that kind should be immediately be treated as trash/junk and should be deleted as it is clear to be a SCAM and be forwarded to this office for clearification. BE WARNED!!! Your £460,000.00 winning of the Microsoft Mega Jackpot Lottery here in the United Kingdom will be approved only if this office stands for you to protect your integrity towards achieving the set goals of claiming your fund/winning for you AND NOTE THAT IT IS ONLY THE MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTERY U.K. THAT WILL PAY OUT £460,000.00 TO YOU. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? In my own estimation, we believe strongly that providing a honest, true and fair view of the current situation as well as a background to the transaction/representing will further enhance confidence. In this wise, we shall endeavour to put across to you, in a very frank manner, the situation in my country. This is for the avoidance of doubt, and to forestall any misunderstanding or misgivings. The mutuality of trust and confidence will also be enhanced when the exigencies of the transaction are fully understood. Notwithstanding, we will exchange ideas to come up with the best possible solution. As part of the mandate of our committee we are responsible for the review and assessment of all contracts executed during the the processing of your Payment via Winning the Microsoft Mega Jackpot Lottery era. Thereafter we shall obtain a Certificate of Winning Award showing that a Winning was indeed awarded to your company/you as an individual; a tax clearance covering a period of at least three (1) year; a vetting approval from the Attorney General of the Kingdom; and Exchange Control Approval Order from the Department of Finance as well as other relevant documentation. For obvious reasons these documents will be dated to accommodate the time lapse between when the Winning was executed and now. The following highlights will foster a greater understanding of the modalities for the actualization of the transaction:
By virtue of our positions in the Microsoft Lottery Department, it is ordinarily part of our mandate to validate all contract payment claims by winners executed between 1993 and 2007. Hence, we shall have no problems in promptly validating claims relating to this transaction. Thereafter, all the documents earlier mentioned including approvals will be forwarded to the relevant paying authority for payment. The 'thrust' of the approval of the fund's release as Winning payment starts at the PROCESSING DEPARTMENT of which we are constituent members. This is where our unflinching confidence on a 100% risk free and successful execution of this transaction rests. Moreover, a vetting approval will be issued from the office of the Attorney General; Ministry of Justice stating that the funds be transferred into your account/Posted to you if by Draft/Cheque payment depending on your selection is not drug-related. Ordinarily, on a Winner's request, this vetting approval together with other documents of evidence of source of funds can be sent directly to the receiving bank. In all this afformentioned matters, I believe some understanding must have taken shape. We await your astonishing reply towards your stance on your winnings.

Regards,

Signed,
The Claims Processor:Name: Mrs. Daines Denzel
E-mail: micro@onlinenotification.co.uk


Tel: +44 704 572 0448
Fax: +44 704 572 0449


Mrs. Daines Denzel
Claims Officer U.K.










Please remember to quote your reference and winning numbers in all correspondences with this office. You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public especially your ticket number and ballot number.
(This is important as a case of double claims will not be entertained)





LOTTERY SPONSOR






Microsoft Corporation U.K.






____________________________________________________________________________________
Microsoft Electronic Mail Lottery is approved and Licensed by the The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR).

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam