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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:
  • "courier service" (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.
  • +34634033034 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: gynecoparis15 <gynecoparis15@orange.fr>
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:48:00 +0100 (CET)
Subject: YOUR EMAIL WON THE PRIZE.




MICROWORD CORPORATIONS:
CUSTOMER SERVICE, VALENCIA.
REFERENCE NUMBER: AMA/-6587
BATCH NUMBER: 2008/430/MCV
LINK :http://www.microword.com/
 
OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION.
 
We are pleased to inform you of the released results of the Microword Corporations Sweepstakes Promotion in conjunction with foundations for the promotion of software products organized for Software users. This Program was held on 6th November, 2008, here in Valencia- Spain. Wherein your email address emerged as one of the online Winning emails in the 3rd category and therefore attracted a cash award of €750,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Euros) and a Toshiba laptop. Your laptop, certificate of winnings and your cheque of (€750,000. 00 Euro) will be sent to your contact address in your location. Please take note, lucky winners will pay for their courier services delivery. Microword corporations only provides lucky winners with a laptop and the sum of (€750,000.00 Euro) only.
 
To file for claims of the release of your winnings, contact the Customer Service Officer with the information below:
 
Foreign Operations.
Mr. Patrick Goudy
Tel/Fax: 0034-634-033-034
Email: claimsdepartment@notarios.com
 
This Email Lottery is Sponsored by Microword Coporation and all the members of MSFT Word Resource Consortium Software Promotion Companies. This internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.
 
Congratulations!!

Sincerely,
Mrs.Anna Miguel
Promotions Manager.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam