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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)
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • ",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.
  • +447031914268 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448704711535 (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.
  • paulwinters2008@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
  • 3apaulwinters2008@hotmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Cathy Brown" <awardwinning2@mobimail.mn>
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 13:33:50 +0200
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS///


MOTTO: FIGHTING POVERTY AROUND THE WORLD

FROM: THE DESK OF THE MICROSOFT PROMOTIONS MANAGER INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT,
90 Long Acre,Covent Garden
LONDON,WC2E 9RZ United Kingdom.
REF.:PEC/9030108308/07.
Batch: 15/76/EF36.
Serial No: SALP97585.
FILE No: B665 75608567.
ELECTRONIC EMAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION AWARD PRESENTATION CENTER :
UNITED KINGDOM

ATTN: WINNER,

Microsoft co-operation management worldwide is pleased to inform you that
you are a winner of our annual MICROSOFT USER AWARD-Lottery conducted in
UNITED KINGDOM .
Your personal e-mail address or company email was attached to Serial No:
SALP97585. Consequently winning in the first lottery category.
You have therefore been APPR OVED for a total sums of £1,000,000.00 One
Million United Kingdom Pounds) Credited to FILE No: B665 75608567. With
REF.:PEC/9030108308/07. This is from total prize money of £60,000,000,
shared among the Seventy-five (75) lucky Worldwide winners in first category
.

All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot system,
drawn from Canada, Asia, Australia, United States, Europe, Middle East,
Africa and Oceania .As part of international "MICROSOFT USER"
promotions program, this is conducted annually.

CONTACT YOUR CLAIM AGENT MR PAUL WINTERS OR MR GRAHAM BALDUCK ,BY TELEPHONE,
EMAIL AND FAX TO CLAIM YOUR AWARD WINNING PRIZE.
MR PAUL WINTERS OR Mr.Graham Balduck
CLAIM AGENT.
: Tel:+44-703 191 42 68
: FAX:+44-870 471 15 35
: EmaiL:paulwinters2008@hotmail.com <EmaiL%3Apaulwinters2008@hotmail.com>

Remember, all prize must be claimed within 30 days from the date of this
notification. All fund not claimed on or before the fixed date will be
returned as unclaimed, and will be donated to charity organizations.
Congratulations, once more from the entire management and staff of Microsoft
co-operation to all our lucky winners this year.Thank you for being part of
this promotional lottery program.

Sincerely,

MRS.CATHY BROWN
PROMOTION MANAGER



AWARD SPONSORS
MICROSOFT CORPORATION.

Please call your claim agent if your mail was not responded to within 24
hours:
SEND YOUR DETAILS REQUESTED BELOW TO YOUR CLAIM AGENT TO HIS EMAIL [
paulwinters2008@hotmail.com ] AND FAX NUMBER.FAX:+44-870 471 15 35

1, Full Names:
2, Date of birth:
3, Present Contact Address:
4, Country Of Residence:
5, Tel/Fax:
6, Your Winning serial and ref. no.:
7, Winning Email address:
8, Occupation
9, Sex:
10 Total amount won: £1000000.00
11, Mode Of Payment Bank Transfer {T/T}


For Security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information
CONFIDENTIAL
Microsoft takes all reasonable steps to ensure that t he information in this
email is accurate.
However, the company gives no warranty, whether express or implied,
regarding the content of this email, nor do we accept liability for any loss
or damage which may result from your receipt of this message. Any decision
made by an individual based on information in this email is the
responsibility of that individual alone. You have to note that the only
person that have the right to represent you in your claim is your appointed
Agent only.

Copyright Â(c) 1998-2008 The MICROSOFT Inc.
All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guideline

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam