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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!
  
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• 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:
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "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.
  • +22998322873 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • mr_donamasseymicsftxpawad@tlen.pl

Fraud email example:

From: Staff Use Only <staffuse.only@yahoo.co.nz>
Reply-To: p_butego0329@yahoo.fr
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:11:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Dear Lucky Winner,Your Reference No: HL/5574/4/41/07/MICS,


MICROSOFT®
(Benin Republic, Regional Office)
Products Promotion Division,
Microsoft Building,Avenue De la su,
Perrir,58,Cotonou, Benin
Email: mr_donamasseymicsftxpawad@tlen.pl
Phone: +229 983-22-873.
 
Serial NO:MCS-26798/096
Batch :MC11/834/8PDH /EU
Your Reference No: HL/5574/4/41/07/MICS,
 
Dear Lucky Winner,
 
 The prestigious Microsoft Products Award Corporations has set out and
uccessfully organized a Sweepstakes marking end of year anniversary for
2009, we rolled out over Eight Hundred And Fifty thousand Great British
Pounds Sterling (£850, 000, 00) Draws.
 
Participants for the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide
range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.

Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to Batch
:MC11/834/8PDH /EU with serial numbers MCS-26798/096 and drew the lucky
numbers 14-21-25-39-40-47(29) which subsequently won you Eight Hundred
And Fifty thousand Great British Pounds Sterling(£850,000,00) as one of
the jackpot winners in his draw. You have therefore won the entire sum
of Eight Hundred And Fifty thousand Great British Pounds Sterling
(£850, 000, 00) These are your Reference identification numbers:
HL/5574/4/41/07/MICS.
 
Kindly fill below Claims Requirement form for immediate Validation of
your winning Prize.

1. Full names:
2. Residential address:
3. Phone number:
4. Fax number:
5. Occupation:
6. Sex:
7. Age:
8. Nationality:
9. Present Country:
10. How do you feel as winner?
 
Mode of Price Remittance.
 
Courier Delivery Of your Certified Winning Cheque and other Winning
Documents backing your prize money stating that the prize was legally
obtain from Microsoft Products Award Corporations safely to you.
 
CONTACT:
********************************************************
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER,
MR.DONA MASSEY.
MICROSOFT PRODUCTS PROMO DEPARTMENT (Benin Republic).
Phone: +229 983-22-873.
E-mail: mr_donamasseymicsftxpawad@tlen.pl
*******************************************************
 
The Microsoft Products Award Corporations is sponsored by our
CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates and a consortium of software promotion
companies. The Intel Group, Dell Computers and other International
Companies.
 The Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is
organized to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer
literacy worldwide.
 
Once again on behalf of all our staff,

                                            CONGRATULATIONS!

Yours Faithfully,
Ms Joy Godwin.
Microsoft Products Award Corporations.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam