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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
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• 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:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • ",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)
  • "00,000.00" (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.
  • +27731108227 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Microsoft <gerrirockwell1@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:12:59 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON THE SUM OF USD$ 3,000,000.00.


(Microsoft src=3D"http://i2.microsoft.com/h/all/i/ms=5Fmasthead=5F8x6a=5Fltr.jpg)(=
MSN src=3D"http://i2.microsoft.com/h/en-us/i/msnlogo.gif)=20
FROM THE DESK OF THE MICROSOFTCOORDINATOR {MICROSOFT GLOBAL E-MAIL LOTTERY=
}
INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT LONDON,WC2N5BX,ENGLAND,UNITED KINGDOM=
FILE REF:HL/8121/31/11/MICSBATCH: MC44/707/3PDH /EU=20
=20

OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:
It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a surprise but p=
lease find time to read it carefully as we congratulate you over your succ=
ess in the following official publication of results of the E-mail electro=
nic online Sweepstakes organized by Microsoft,in conjunction with the foun=
dation for the promotion of software products,(F.P.S.)held on the 2nd of J=
une 2008,in United kingdom. Wherein your electronic email address emerged =
as one of the online winning emails in the 1st category and therefore attr=
acted a cash award of USD$3,000,000.00 (Three Million United States Dollar=
s only) which your file falls in our South African Claim office in Johanne=
sburg Our winners are arranged into four categories with different winning=
prizes accordingly in each category. They are arranged in this format bel=
ow: CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES 1st. 2 USD$3,000,000.00 each 2nd=
. 8 USD$800,000.00 each 3rd. 13 USD$470,000.00 each 4th. 27 USD$170,000.00=
each We write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to=
contact the processing office immediately upon receipt of this message fo=
r more information concerning the verification, processing and eventual pa=
yment of the above prize to you. It is important to note that your award i=
nformation was released with the following particulars attached to it.(1) =
Award numbers: NL 62/7811
(2) Email ticket numbers: NL901/33/65
(3) Batch numbers: MC44/707/3PDH /EU
(4) The file reference numbers: HL/8121/31/11/MICS{5} Serial Numbers:McST/=
030/NL0981 For verification purpose be sure to include:(1) Your mailing ad=
dress:
(2) Your Tel(Mobile):(3) Your Nationality/Country:{4}Your Full Names: To f=
ile for your claim,Please contact your Validating Officer for VALIDATION o=
f your winning within Twenty-nine working days of this winning notificatio=
n. Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of winn=
ing notification are termed void and invalid. You are required to mention =
the above particulars
of your award in every correspondence to enable the Agent in South Africa =
validate your winning
CONTACT:
*******************************************************************
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
NAME MR.MAYO FRANKMICROSOFT SECURITY DEPARTMENT(REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA)
TEL:+27 73-110-8227
E-MAIL:frankmayo=5Fassociates1@gala.net*************************************=
*******************************
The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by our
CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates: and a consortium of software promotion companies=
. The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers and other International Compani=
es. The Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organiz=
ed to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worl=
dwide. Once again on behalf of all our staff, CONGRATULATIONS! Yours faith=
fully, Dr.Gerri Rockwell
MICROSOFT E-MAIL LOTTERY PROMOTION COORDINATOR. (Microsoft src=3D"http://i2.=
microsoft.com/h/all/i/ms=5Fmasthead=5F8x6a=5Fltr.jpg)(MSN src=3D"http://i2.microso=
ft.com/h/en-us/i/msnlogo.gif)


(MSN src=3D"http://i2.microsoft.com/h/en-us/i/msnlogo.gif)=09
Jeden Monat 1 hochkar=E4tiger maxdome-Blockbuster GRATIS!=20
Exklusiv f=FCr alle WEB.DE Nutzer. *http://www.blockbuster.web.de* [http://w=
ww.blockbuster.web.de]

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam