419 scam: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Microsoft=AE_Corporation?= <info@mca.co.uk> Dear Participant,TERNUNION FUNDS ALERPŒë¸"

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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.
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- microsoftdesk11@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Microsoft=AE_Corporation?= <info@mca.co.uk>
Reply-To: microsoftdesk11@aol.com
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2010 08:14:49 +0700
Subject: Dear Participant,

Microsoft Wealth Distribution Scheme.

Dear Participant,

Through Ad campaign, Microsoft and AOL have experimented with the text
(E-mail Beta Test), Your email address has been a successful tool in Bill
Gates Microsoft Ad campaigns. Through your email, Microsoft has acheived a
campaign level of 146,000 referals just from your email on Internet Ad
campaigns alone. In Bill Gates terms,for each referral, you get $8.50 as
award, your total referral is 146,000 X 8.50 USD = 1,241,000.00 USD (One
Million Two Hundred and Forty One Thousand US Dollars).
Consequently, your draw emerged from the European Regional End of Year
Draw. Thus the prize would be collected from the UK Regional Office.
Click the link below on how your check of 1,241,000.00 USD will be paid to
you, please confirm your email address for security reasons.
http://us.mc205.microsoftonlineclaims/mc/checkprizeemail?.gd=1&.tm=1261330332&.rand=9t0j5d5d2cqnp#_pg=welcome&&.rand=
If the URL cannot be retrieved in your area, please email the below data
to microsoftdesk11@aol.com

Name::::::
Telephone::::::
Geographical Address::::
Country.........
Age.........
Occupation:.........
Sex .........

Congratulations
Todd Garvin for Microsoft Wealth Distribution Scheme.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam