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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Microsoft International Program®" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davis-dons@24.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:01:45 +0100
Subject: FILE REF: HL/5564/06/07/MICS

MICROSOFT CORPORATION'S LONDON
145-157, ST JOHN STREET,
LONDON, EC1V 4PY United Kingdom
 
FILE REF: HL/5564/06/07/MICS
BATCH: MC11/834/5PDH /EU
 
 
OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION.
 
It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a surprise but please find time to read it carefully as we congratulate you over your success in the following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic online Sweepstakes organized by Microsoft, in conjunction with the foundation for the promotion of software products, (F.S.P) held this October 2010,in London UK.
 
Where in your email address emerged as one of the online Winning emails in the 2nd category and therefore attracted a cash award of 950.000.00 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand pounds sterling) Our winners are arranged into four categories with different winning prizes accordingly in each category.
 
They are arranged in this format below:
 
These are your identification numbers:MCS-26799/097
 
CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES
1st. 2    500,000.00 pounds each
2nd. 8   450.000.00 pounds each
3rd. 13  250,000.00 pounds each
4th. 27  170,000.00 pounds each
 
We write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contact the processing office immediately upon receipt of this message for more information concerning the verification, processing and eventual payment of the above prize to you.
 
It is important to note that your award information was released with the following particulars attached to it.
 
(1) Award numbers: NL 56/7766
(2) Email ticket numbers: EAASL-130877
(3) Batch numbers: MC11/834/8PDH /EU
(4) The file reference numbers: HL/5574/41/07/MICS
{5} Serial Numbers: McST/006/NL46560
 
For verification purpose be sure to include:
 
(1) Your contact address.
(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.
(3) Your Nationality/Country.
(4) Your Full Name.
(5) Occupation / Age.
(6) How Do You Feel as A Winner?
(7) Ever Won an Online Lottery?
 
Mode of Prize Remittance
 
(1) Courier Delivery
(2) Bank to Bank Wired Transfer
 
To file for your claim, Please contact your Validating Officer for VALIDATION of your winning within Twenty-nine working days of this winning notification. Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of winning notification are termed void and invalid. You are required to mention the above particulars of your award in every correspondence to enable the Agent validate your winning.
 
CONTACT:
*************************************************************
******
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
Dr. David Dons.
MICROSOFT SECURITY DEPARTMENT (UK).
Tel: +44 702 402 3730
Email: davis-dons@24.com
        : davis-dons@gala.net
*************************************************************
*******
 
The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by our CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates and a consortium of software promotion companies.
 
The Intel Group, Toshiba, 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 we say CONGRATULATIONS!
 
Sincerely
MRS. AMBER WAYNE.
M.S.PRO.ZONAL COORDINATOR
 
NOTE: Do not tell people about your Price Award until your money is successfully handed over to you to avoid disqualification that may arise from double claim.
 
You may also receive similar e-mails from people portraying to be other Organizations or Microsoft Corporation. This is solely to collect your personal information from you and lay claim over your notification letter that was sent to you, Kindly forward a copy to us and delete it from your mail box and give no further correspondence to such person or body.
 
Microsoft shall not be held responsible for any loss of fund arising from the above mentioned.

Anti-fraud resources: