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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:
  • "yahoo/msn lottery inc" (no such lottery exists)
  • "yahoo/msn lottery" (no such lottery exists)
• 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.
  • microsoftpromosonline@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: MICROSOFTWINDOWONLINE PROMOS <micro-board-10@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:36:04 -0400
Subject: YOU HAVE WON FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND,GREAT BRITAIN POUND
STERLINGS.CONGRATULATION!






The Yahoo/Msn & Microsoft Windows Lottery Incoperation
PO Box 1010,LiverpoolL70 1NL,United Kingdom.Ref: XYL /26510460037/05Batch: 24/00319/IPD


This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of Five hundred thousand, Great Britain Pound Sterlings(£500,000.00) for the month of September
2007 Lottery promotion which is organized by YAHOO/MSN LOTTERY INC & WINDOWS LIVE.
YAHOO/MSN & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, collects all the email addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to Yahoo and Hotmail we only select five people every Month as our winners through electronic balloting System without the winner applying.
Yahoo/Msn Lottery Prize must be claimed not later than 20 days from the date of this Notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won. Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.

These are your identification numbers:
Ref: XYL /26510460037/05Batch: 24/00319/IPD
Winning number:YM/09788/60



Our Event Manager will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program, Please be warned.


Attached here is the claim verification and funds release form. You are expected to fill and submit to the event manager.
VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM


1.FULL NAMES:__________________________________
2.ADDRESS:__________________________________________
3.SEX:_______________
4.AGE:________
5.MARITAL STATUS:___________________
6.OCCUPATION:___________________
7.E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
8.TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________

9.AMOUNT WON:___________________________________
10. STATE:__________________________________11. COUNTRY________________________________
12. NEXT OF KIN:_____________________________
13. ZIP CODE:_______________
14:NATIONALITY:___________________________
13:Your Reference and Batch number at the top of this mail:
To file for your claim, please fill and submit your verification form to our events manager immediately via email.




(CONTACT EVENTS MANAGER)
Name:Mr.Barry Gray
E-mail: microsoftpromosonline@yahoo.com

Once again congratulations...
Cordially,
Mrs.Caroline Martino
Online Co-ordinator

(Yahoo/Msn Lottery Games/Lottery Coordinator).



Copyright © 1994-2007 The Yahoo,Msn & Microsoft Online Promotion 2007 Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guideline
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam