419 scam: MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM 2010 <microteam16@att.net> CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS HAS WON!!!

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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:
- "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.
- +447024024652 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +447561931695
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.
- microteameditionac@hotmail.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM 2010 <microteam16@att.net>
Reply-To: microteameditionac@hotmail.co.uk
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2010 02:07:06 +0700
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS HAS WON!!!

MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM
Promotion/Claims Department
Po Box 1030 London Wc2r 0qs
England,United Kingdom
(Customer Services)
Attn:Winner
Winning No:Misoft/677/786/2010
Email Ref No:Misoft/999/33/2010
Notification Date:19/08/2010
AMOUNT WON:500,000.00GBP (Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds).
This email has brought you an unexpected luck,Your e-mail address was
selected and confirmed by Windows Live & Microsoft Windows, through
their latest internet software. You are therefore been

approved the sum of 500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain
Pounds).WINDOWS LIVE & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, collects all the email
addresses of people that are active online,

among the millions that subscribed to HOTMAIL,YAHOO,GMAIL,MSN AND
OTHER INTERNATIONAL DOMAIN we only randomly select ten lucky people
every year as our winners through

electronic balloting System without the winners applying or buying a
ticket online,we congratulate you for being one of the people selected.
PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM
You are advised to contact the processing office immediately upon
receipt of this message for more information concerning the processing
and eventual payment of the above prize to you with the

following details to avoid unnecessary delay and complications,These
are your identification numbers:
Winning No:Msoft/677/786/2010
Email Ref No:Msoft/999/33/2010
To begin your claim please contact our licensed and accredited agent
assigned to you.
(VERIFICATION DEPARTMENT MANAGER)
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR
Name:Dennis Orton
Phone # :+44 702 402 4652
Fax # : +44 756 193 1695
E-mail: microteameditionac@hotmail.co.uk
Do email the above Claims Administrator, at once with all the claims
requirements below.To avoid unnecessary delay.They are needed to
proceed.
Claims Requirements:
1. Full Name:_____________________
2. Address:_____________________
3. Nationality:___________Sex:________
4. Age:________Date of Birth:___________
5. Occupation:_________Martial Status_________
6. Cell Phone:___________Fax:___________
7. State of Origin:_________Country:_______
MSN Lottery Prize must be claimed not later than 15 days from date of
Draw Notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won. Any
prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.
Congratulations!! once again.
Sincerely,
Mrs.Carolina lennon(Secretary)
Microsoft Corporation.All rights reserved

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam