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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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• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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:
  • "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.
  • +447045719623 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • microsoftclaimsdept_pullens@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: microsoft_winners07@mchsi.com (Microsoft International(microsoftclaimsdept_pullens@yahoo.co.uk))
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 04:11:13 +0000
Subject: INSURANCE NO: MIC006

ATTENTION WINNER:




Do contact the Details below for further Clearifications and to Claim the
Award Sum of 5.5 Million Great British Pounds which was Awarded to you in a
Personality Test Program held to Honour our Customers. MICROSOFT MEGA
JACKPOT E-MAIL PROMOTION


Mr. Douglas Wilson.
Director Microsoft Promotion House.
Contact Email:(microsoftclaimsdept_pullens@yahoo.co.uk)
Tel: PHONE: +44 704 571 9623
Claims Officer: Mr. Ricky Pullens.


WINNING INFORMATIONS:
REGISTRATION NO: 9027640
INSURANCE NO: MIC006
TAX CLEARANCE NO: 28456
AMOUNT WON: £5,500,000.00
NAME:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
FAX NUMBER:
OCCUPATION:
WINNING EMAIL ADDRESS:
WINNING E-MAIL ADDRESS:
NATIONALITY:
PRESENT COUNTRY:
SEX:
DATE OF BIRTH:


Do email the above Claims Administrator, at once with all the Winning
Information above for further processing of your winnings. To avoid
unnecessary delay. They are needed to proceed. Congratulations!!!


Secretary
Mr.John Callaghan..



This email and any attachments to it contain information that is confidential
and may be privileged. It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient
(s). If you are not the intended recipient(s) please note that any form of
distribution, copying or use of this communication or the information
contained in it is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have
received this email in error, please return it to the sender and delete the
email from your records.

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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam