419 scam: "Odd Vorhaug" <odd@teamconsult.no> VS: [SPAM]: CONGRATULATIONS

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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:

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")
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "mrjohnrichard@live.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.
- +447045717259 (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.
- mradamswilliams6@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Odd Vorhaug" <odd@teamconsult.no>
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 14:48:01 +0200
Subject: VS: [SPAM]: CONGRATULATIONS

-----Opprinnelig melding-----
Fra: MRS. RITA MICHEAL [mailto:mrjohnrichard@live.com]
Sendt: 30. april 2010 04:56
Til: undisclosed-recipients:
Emne: [SPAM]: CONGRATULATIONS

FROM: THE DESK OF THE E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT, MICROSOFTCORPORATIONWORLD LOTTERY
UNITED KINGDOM.61-70 SOUTHAMPTON ROW BLOOMSBURY LONDON UNITED KINGDOM WC1B
4AR.

REFERENCE NO: 475061725/07
BATCH NO: 705649092/188
WINNING NO: GB8701/LPRC
WINNER: NO17

ELECTRONIC EMAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION AWARD PRESENTATION CENTER:
UNITED KINGDOM

DEAR WINNER,
MICROSOFT CO-OPERATION MANAGEMENTWORLDWIDE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT
YOU ARE A WINNER OF OUR ANNUAL MS-WORLD LOTTERY (MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO
PROGRAMME) CONDUCTED ON 24TH OF DECEMBER 2009 YOURPERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS
OR COMPANY EMAIL WAS ATTACHED TO THIS YEARS MSWLL. WITH SERIAL NUMBER
7741137002 DREW THE LUCKY NUMBERS 5-13-33-37-42, AND CONSEQUENTLY WON IN
THE FIRST LOTTERY CATEGORY. YOU HAVE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED FOR LUMP SUMS
OF $ 1,000,000 (USD ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) PAYABLE IN CASH
CREDITED TO FILE REF NO: ILP/HW 475061725/07 THIS IS FROM TOTAL PRIZE
MONEY OF $ 25,000,000 USD, SHARED AMONG THE TWENTY-FIVE(25)LUCKY
INTERNATIONAL WINNERS INFIRST AND SECONDCATEGORY.

ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE SELECTEDFROM WORLDWIDE A COMPUTER BALLOTING SYSTEM
THROUGH OUR MICROSOFT COMPUTER BALLOT SYSTEM DRAWN FROM 21,000 NAMES,
3,000 NAMES FROM EACH CONTINENT (CANADA, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, UNITED
STATE,EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND OCEANIA, AS PART OF INTERNATIONAL
"E-MAIL" PROMOTIONS PROGRAMME, WHICH IS CONDUCTED ANNUALLY FOR OUR
PROMINENT MS -WORD USERS ALL OVER THE WORLD TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF
INTERNET AND COMPUTERS WORLDWIDE.

YOUR FUND (CERTIFIED CHEQUE) HAS BEEN INSURED WITH YOUR REF NO:
ILP/HW-475061725/07 AND WILL BE READY FOR TRANSFER AS SOON AS YOU CONTACT
YOUR CLAIM AGENT :MR ADAMS WILLIAMS. YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS SHOULD BE USED IN
ALL CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER, PLEASE NOTE THAT, YOU ARE TO
CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER VIA EMAIL OR TELEPHONE AS WE ARE PROMOTING THE
USE OF E-MAIL. ALSO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL HIM TO CONFIRM YOUR
WINNINGS AND GOVERNMENT TAX PAYMENT THAT IS ALL, AS HE WILL PROVIDE YOU
WITH THE NECESSARY DETAILS ON HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE. AS PART OF OUR
SECURITY PROTOCOL YOU ARE TO QUOTE THIS SECURITY CODE MSW/MAY/XX07 TO YOUR
CLAIMING AGENT. THIS IS TO PREVENT SCAM.
CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT OFFICERINUNITED KINGDOM.

NAME: MR ADAMS WILLIAMS
EMAIL:mradamswilliams6@gmail.com
TELEPHONE:+44-7045-7172-59

NOTE: IN ORDER TO AVOID MISTAKES, PLEASE REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR REFERENCE
AND BATCH NUMBERS AND YOUR SECURITY CODE OF MSW/MAY/XX07IN ALL
CORRESPONDENCES WITH YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER. DO NOT REPLY ANY OTHER MAILS
LIKE THIS ON NET, AS THEY ARE A LOT OF SCAM ARTIST OUT THERE PRETENDING TO
BE US.YOU MAY SEE MAILS LIKE THIS DO NOT REPLY. DO CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS
OFFICER,MR ADAMS WILLIAMS, IN UNITED KINGDOM. YOU WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE
SOME DETAILS AND AS WELL LET YOU KNOW THE COUNTRIES OF THE PAYING CENTRES
AND ALSO TO ENABLE THE OFFICE PROCEED WITH YOUR WINNING CERTIFICATE AND
FILE KEEPING.

CONGRATULATIONS, ONCE MORE FROMTHE ENTIREMANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF MICROSOFT
CO-OPERATION TO ALL OURLUCKY WINNERS. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS
PROMOTIONAL LOTTERY PROGRAM. OUR SPECIAL THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO ALLTHE
ASSOCIATES FOR ALLEVIATING POVERTY ROUND THE WORLD.

SINCERELY.
MRS. RITA MICHEAL

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam