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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (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.
  • +447045778479 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: =?utf-8?B?IkJvaGRhbiDvv711cu+/ve+/vSI=?= <suran@iol.cz>
Reply-To: morganwiltord@live.co.uk
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:24:01 GMT
Subject: You Have Won The Ongoing End Of Year Windowslive Promo




MICRO WINDOWSLIVE BUILDING
CENTRA LONDON E1 8RP=2E
UNITED KINGDOM=2E
MICRO WINDOWSLIVE CHIP NO=3A AW004/MWL08

Dear Mr/Mrs/Sir/Madam=3A

Today=2C we announce the five (5) lucky winners of the MICRO
WINDOWSLIVE PROGRAM held on 18th December=2C 2008=2E Your
company or your personal e-mail address attached to the Chip
Number=3A AW004/MWL08 won the Second Promo Category Award=2E
Your email address has brought you an unexpected luck=2C
please read through this message=2E

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of =A3
1=2C000=2C000 GBP (One Million Great British Pounds) in cash
credited to file MWL/CCF/02/LA=2E This is from a total cash
prize of =A3 5=2E000=2C000 GBP (Five Million Great British Pounds)
shared amongst the five (5) lucky winners=2E Winners of the
ongoing promo were selected randomly from =27World Wide Web=27
through Windows computer ballot system (WCBS) and extracted
from over 100=2C000 individuals and companies=2E For security
reasons=2Cyou are advised to keep your winning information
confidential till your claims is processed and money
remitted to you in the manner you deem fit to claim
your prize=2E This is a part of our precautionary measure to
avoid unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous
elements=2E

Note that all claims process and clearance procedures must
be duly completed early to avoid impersonation arising to
the issue of double claim=2C you are advised to keep this
notice to yourself because we shall not be responsible for
any divert of funds as a result of you disclosing your
lottery award details=2C you are hereby advice you to report
to the Micro Windowslive claims agent whose information is
stated below=2E

Contact Person=3A Mr=2E Morgan Wiltord

E-mail=3A morganwiltord=40live=2Eco=2Euk

Tel=2E=3A +44 704 577 8479
Fax =3A +44 709 286 5919

Do email or call the above mentioned person=2C at once with
all the claims requirements below=2E In order to avoid
unnecessary delays and complications=2E

CLAIM PROCESSING FORM
1=2E full Name=3A
2=2E Address=3A
3=2E Nationality=3A
4=2E Date of Birth=3A
5=2E Occupation=3A
6=2E Phone=3A
7=2E Mobile=3A
8=2E Fax=3A
9=2E State of Origin=3A
10=2ECountry=3A
11=2ESex=3A
12=2EE-mail Address=3A

The above requirements are needed to enable the immediate
release of your
won prize=2E

Best Regards=2C

Mrs=2E Josephine Suran
Secretary Micro Windowslive Promotion

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam