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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 CORPORATION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <claimsdept@microsft-lotto.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2012 13:04:15 -0600
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU WON £2,000,000,00!!

MICROSOFT CORPORATION
BALEY HOUSE, HAR ROAD SUTTON,
GREATER LONDON SM1 4TE.
UNITED KINGDOM.
REF NO: YM35447XN
BATCH: YM 09102XN
MICROSOFT E-MAIL LOTTERY PROMOTION:
UNITED KINGDOM
 
Finally, today, we announce the results of the MICROSOFT E-MAIL LOTTERY DRAWS held on November 31stth, 2012. This Draw is also in appreciation for the just successfully concluded London Olympics. Your E-mail address attached to winning number YM09788, with serial number 647489, consequently won in the Tenth category. Since the draw was conducted through zonal batches of the emails sampled, and the globe was divided, in this instance, into two zones, you are hereby notified that your winning falls under Europe Zone, and hence you are to be paid by our European Payment Centre. You have been approved for lump sum pay out of £2,000,000.00 British Pounds, credited to File REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning number YM09788.
 
Selection process was carried out through random sampling in our computerized E-mail selection machine (TOPAZ) from a database of over 1,000,000 E-mail addresses drawn from all the continents of the world. The online draws was conducted by a random selection of E-mail addresses from 29,031 lists of E-mail addresses  of individuals and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets were sold but all E- mail addresses were assigned to different ticket numbers for representation. This is to encourage our prominent Microsoft Internet Explorer users all over the world, and for the Continuing use of E-mail facilities.
 
Your fund has been insured with your REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning number YM09788. To claim your winning prize, you are to contact the Fiduciary agent below:
 
Mr. Jude Wesley
Email: claimsdept@microsft-lotto.com
Tel: +44 70 2404 6570
 
In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and winning numbers in all correspondences with your claims officer. You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public especially your winning serial, and file reference numbers.(This is important as a case of double claims will not be entertained).
 
NOTE THAT YOU ARE TO INCLUDE ALL THE DATA BELOW WHEN CONTACTING THE PAYMENT AGENT:
 
1. Full Name:.............................................................
2. Address:................................................................
3. Nationality:.......................................................... .
4. Sex:...................................................................
5. Age:.........................Date of Birth:............................
6. Occupation:........................................................... .
7. Home Tel:.................................... Mobile Tel:.....................................Fax:.................
8. State of Origin:.....................Country:.......................
9. Your File Ref No: ...............................................
10. Indicate the zone where your winning falls.....................
 
Dave Patterson
Online Co-Ordinator
 
 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Note; Do not reply this mail, You are to contact Affiliate Payment Agency  in charge of the delivery of your Cheque immediately by E-mail.
Microsoft Electronic Mail Lottery is approved and Licensed by the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR)
 
 

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