419 scam: "Microsoft Promotion Award Team"<info@microsoft.org> MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION

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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
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.
- +447011162838 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +448704790619 (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.
- claimsdesk09@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "Microsoft Promotion Award Team" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <claimsdesk09@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:40:07 +0100
Subject: MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION

Microsoft Promotion Award Team
40 Rye crofts Way Stopsley
London,
United Kingdom.

MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION.... PROMO

The prestigious Microsoft and AOL have set out and successfully organized a Sweepstakes marking the New Year 2009 anniversary we Rolled out over 1,500,000.00 GBP ( one million five hundred thousand pounds) for our New Year Anniversary Draws. Participants For the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of Web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.
The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching personalized email addresses to ticket numbers. If you ignore this, you will regret it later. Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test.

Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to ticket Number/Batch 0087955827499 with serial numbers MSC/0080668302/07 and drew The lucky numbers 14-21-30-39-40-47(31) which subsequently won you 1,500,000.00 GBP (one million five hundred thousand pounds) as One of the 10 jackpot winners in this draw.

You have therefore won the Entire winning sum of 1,500,000.00 GBP one million five hundred thousand Pounds). The draws registered as Draw number one was conducted in Stopsley, London United Kingdom held this month (June). 2009.
These Draws are commemorative and as such special.

Please be informed by this winning notification, to file your claims, you are to make contact with your designated agent who shall by duty Guide you through the process to facilitate the release of your prize.

To file for your claim Please Contact your fiduciary agent

MR. DAVID BRADLEY
Microsoft Promotion Award Team
Email: claimsdesk09@gmail.com
Phone: +4470111 62838
FAX: +44 870 479 0619

You are advised to contact your fiduciary agent with the following Details to avoid unnecessary delays and complications:

1. Your Full Names :
2. Address & Country:
3. Serial: Numbers:
4. Batch Number :
5. Phone/fax:
6. Age / Marital Status:
7. Occupation:
8. How do you feel as a Winner?

Note: Dont respond if you have gotten this notification mail before. Thank you for being part of our commemorative end of year Anniversary Draws. Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the interactive Lotteries Board
Commission;

Sincerely,

Microsoft Promotion Award Team

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam