419 scam: "@2011 yahoo microsoft inc" <telmexc@yahoo.com.ph> Not Spam! Congratulations,your email identity has emerged as one of the lucky w

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "microsoft lottery" (no such lottery exists)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "josephsucre@ymail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +447024029852 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- revfrjamessimon1@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "@2011 yahoo microsoft inc" <telmexc@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: josephsucre@ymail.com
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:54:41 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Not Spam! Congratulations,your email identity has emerged as one of the lucky winner of Microsoft Award lottery

Yahoo Microsoft Awards Center
>From The Desk Of The Promotions Manager
International Promotions/Microsoft Award Center
124 Stockport Road, Long sight,
Manchester M60 2DB - United Kingdom

Microsoft! MAIL.
Your Microsoft! AWARD!.

This is to inform you that your email identity has emerged as one of the lucky winner of Yahoo Microsoft Award lottery prize money of FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTYÂ THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS ( 450,000.00 GBP) for the YEAR 2011 Lottery promotion,Â which is organized by Microsoft LOTTERY INC for the introduction of the new Microsoft YAHOO BETA's MAIL, which all Microsoft users are required to switch onto.

Microsoft! & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, arranged and gathered all the e-mail addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to ALLÂ email Addresses and others. We only select Nine(9) candidates annually as our winners through Electronic Balloting System (EBS) without the candidates applying for it, we congratulate you for being one of the people selected.

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM

Your Payment Approval File was sent to African and European continent only due to the fact that more winners emerged from their.You are to contact our Location Claim Agent on or before your date of Claim.

Microsoft Beta Lottery Prize must be claimed not later than 21 days from date ofÂ Draw Notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won unless otherwise.

Note: Any prize not claimed within this period (7 days) will be forfeited unless where necessary.

These are your identification numbers:

Stake number.....................YBM-EBS-360AF
verification/Ref number............YBM-EBS-710AF
Winning number...............YBM-EBS-718AF

Please note that you are not authorized to contact the email sender back ratherÂ you are to contact the claiming agent below.

These numbers above fall within the agentâ€™s Location file, you are requested to contact your Agent and send your Identification Numbers and Personal Information to him.

Overseas Claims/Exchange Online Payment Unit

Contact Person: Name: Mr. Joseph Sucre

Tel/Fax: +44-702-402-9852

Email: josephsucre@ymail.com,

revfrjamessimon1@hotmail.com,

You are therefore advised to send the following information to him to enable him facilitate the process of transfer of your fund with the appointed paying bank.

Send your Identification Numbers/Your Personal Information to him immediately:

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

1. Full name................
2. Country..................
3. Contact Address.........
4. Telephone Number.......
5. Occupation................
6. Age.......................
7. Sex.......................

Congratulations once again.

At your disposal, I remain.
Yours in service,

Dr. (Mrs.) Amanda Ford

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam