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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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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:
  • ",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)
  • "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +447031933968 (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.
  • e.courier_service_01@yahoo.co.uk

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <mrfred_cole@yahoo.com.cn>
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 02:20:07 -0500
Subject:
=?windows-1256?Q?CONTACT_MANAGER_OF_eCOURIER_SERVICES:AS_FOR_THE_COST_OF_?=
=?windows-1256?Q?DELIVERY_CALL_THEM_ON:+44_703_193_3968=FE=FE=FE=FE=FE?=




Microsoft Corporation#1 Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052. United Kingdom


ATTENTION :Ed Hoogenes, This is to inform you that you have been cleared a winner of the Microsoft 2008 Promotion Sweepstakes International program.
We happily inform you that your winning prize of ?1,000,000.00 (One Million Great British Pound ) has been endorsed with your personal informations on a certified cheque by the correspondent bank of the Microsoft Corporation and a British fund release document issued with your informations from the British economic/financial regulation department.
ATTENTION !!!

1. NOTE THAT DRAFT CERTIFIED CHEQUE HAVE BEEN ENDORSED, FORWARDED TO THE COURIER COMPANY.

2. NOTE THAT THE COURIER COMPANY CANNOT DEDUCT FROM YOUR WINNING CHEQUE.
3. GIVE YOUR CORRECT DELIVERY ADDRESS TO THE COURIER COMPANY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY OF YOUR CHEQUE.
FIND BELOW THE DETAIL'S OF THE E. COURIER COMPANY.E.courier Service?Home Deliveing
MR. ANDREA SMART (DESPATCH OFFICER)
Customer/Delivery Services Department658 Ajax Avenue Slough Berkshire SL1 4BG
e-Mail : e.courier_service_01@live.com e.courier_service_01@yahoo.co.uk
Tel : ++44 (703) 193 3968 Tel : ++44 (703) 192 6251
Open 7days-24hrs-365days
You are advised to send the courier company a mail to their email address for their courier cost when contacting them, Please you are advised to write down the Your Ref #:(TWCL/OBL/I4-X6/00) and save it.Note: you are to Quote your complete names, resident address and your direct phone number so that they can honor your letter. for comfirmation dial the E.couruer Service Care Line (+44 703 193 3968), you will be require to enter your PIN NUMBER (91240076) to redirect to the department which is in charges of the delivery of your winning's.Once again I say congratulations and always inform me with your dealings with the courier company.
Mr Fred Cole
MICROSOFT AWARD DEPARTMENT.United Kingdom

You are advice to keep your Reference Number and your Batch Number out of Public and also your Neigbourhood. Inorder, to avoid double claim of your prize award.Due to past experience from other winners.


Congratulations Once Again From The Entire Staff of The Microsoft?/font> Award Team



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Color coding for safety: Windows Live Hotmail alerts you to suspicious email.
http://windowslive.com/Explore/Hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_safety_112008

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam