419 scam: TIMOTHY GREGTON <msc-xp_tgreg_0@msn.com> MICROSOFT AND WINDOWS EXPLORER 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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "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 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.
- barryadams@sify.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: TIMOTHY GREGTON <msc-xp_tgreg_0@msn.com>
Reply-To: <barryadams@sify.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:17:32 +0000
Subject: MICROSOFT AND WINDOWS EXPLORER WINNING NOTIFICATION.

Microsoft
& Windows Explorer Award Team.
Stamford
New Road,
Altrincham
Cheshire,
WA14
1EP
London,
United
Kingdom.
YOUR
MSFT WORD RESOURCE ADVERTISING LINK:
http://www.microword.com

MICROSOFT AND WINDOWS EXPLORER WINNING
NOTIFICATION.

We wish to congratulate you once again on this note,
for being part of our winners selected this month. This promotion was set-up to
encourage the active users of the Microsoft
and Windows Explorer products. Hence we do believe with you winning this prize,
you will continue to be active and patronage to the Microsoft and Windows
Explorer Corporation.

A winning cheque will be issued in
your name by the Microsoft and Windows Explorer Award Team, You have therefore
won the entire sum of £450,000.00 {Four Hundred And Fifty Thousand Great British
Pounds}, and also a certificate of prize claims will be sent along side your
winnings cheque. You are to make contact with your designated agent who shall by
duty guide you through the process of facilitate the release of your
Prize.

The selection process was carried out through random selection in
our Computerized Email Selection System (C.E.S.S.) from a database of over a
million emails from the world wide web. Each email was
attached to a ticket number and your email with Reference Number: MOL/WIWN:2551256003/23 and Winning Number: EAASL-56473.
was randomly selected as the star prize winner amongst
other consolation prize winners.

To file your
claim, Please contact your Foreign Transfer Manager Sir.barry adams. With the
following information:

Reference Number:
MOL/WIWN:2551256003/23,
Winning Number:
EAASL-56473,
Batch numbers:
MOL46/398/D15ON,
Serial Number:McST/047/NL40564

Sir.Barry
Adams
Microsoft Promotion Award
Team
Email:barryadams@sify.com

VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM.
(1)
Your contact address.
(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.
(3) Your
Nationality/Country.
(4) Your Full Names.
(5) Occupation/Company
Name
(6) Age.
(7) How do you feel as a Winner Your Prize(From
Below)?.

The Microsoft and Windows Explorer Award Team has
discovered a huge number of double claims due to winners informing close friends
relatives and third parties about their winning and also sharing their pin
numbers. As a result of this, these friends try to claim the lottery on behalf
of the real winners. The Microsoft and Windows Explorer Award Team has reached a
decision from headquarters that any double claim discovered by the Lottery Board
will result to the canceling of that particular winning, making a loss for both
the double claimer and the real winner, as it is taken that the real winner was
the informer to the double claimer about the lottery. So you are hereby strongly
advised once more to keep your winnings strictly confidential until you claim
your prize.

The Microsoft and Windows Explorer Award Team 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.

Congratulations
Sincerely
Mr.Timothy Gregton
Director
Of Lottery promotion.
Microsoft
& Windows Explorer Award
Team.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam