419 scam: "microsoft award" <micro_award86@latinmail.com> !!!CONGRATULATION!!!

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
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.
- infoclaiming011@gawab.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "microsoft award" <micro_award86@latinmail.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2007 12:45:11 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: !!!CONGRATULATION!!!

MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM
UK MILLION AWARD
12TH.AVENUE KWAME N'KRUMAH,
OUAGADOUGOU,BURKINA-FASO.
REF: BTD/968/07
BATCH: 409978E

DEAR LUCKY WINNER,
WINNING NOTIFICATION
THE PRESTIGIOUS MICROSOFT AND AOL HAS SET OUT AND SUCESSFULLY ORGANISED=
A SWEEPSTAKES MARKING THE NEW YEAR 2007 ANNIVERSARY, WE ROLLED OUT OVE=
R 8.500,000,00 EURO (EIGHT MILLION AND FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO) FOR =
OUR NEW YEAR 2007 ANNIVERSARY DRAWS. PARTICIPANTS FOR THE DRAWS WERE RA=
NDOMLY 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 PERSONALISED EMAIL ADDRESSES TO TICKET NUMBERS. IF YOU IGNOR=
E THIS, YOU WILL REGRET IT LATER. MICROSOFT AND AOL ARE NOW THE LARGEST=
INTERNET COMPANIES AND IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT INTERNET EXPLORE=
R REMAINS THE MOST WIDELY USED PROGRAM, MICROSOFT AND AOL ARE RUNNING A=
N E-MAIL BETA TEST.

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AS INDICATED WAS DRAWN AND ATTACHED TO TICKET NUMBER=
008795727498 WITH SERIAL NUMBERS BTD/9080648302/07 AND DREW THE LUCKY =
NUMBERS 14-21-25-39-40-47(20) WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY WON YOU 850,000,00 (EI=
GHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND EURO) AS ONE OF THE 10 JACKPOT WINNERS I=
N THIS DRAW. YOU HAVE THEREFORE WON THE ENTIRE WINNING SUM OF 850,000,0=
0(EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND EURO). THE DRAWS REGISTERED AS DRAW =
NUMBER ONE WAS CONDUCTED IN BROCKLEY, LONDON UNITED KINGDOM ON THE 26TH=
OF JUNE 2007. 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 FIL=
E FOR YOUR CLAIM PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FIDUCIARY AGENT:
EMAIL:infoclaiming011@gawab.com

PHONE: 00226-76-06-13-52

MICROSOFT PROMOTION AWARD TEAM

YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONTACT YOUR FIDUCIARY AGENT WITH THE FOLLOWING PROC=
ESS TO AVOID UNNECESSARY DELAYS AND COMPLICATIONS:

UPON THE RECIEPT OF THE TRANSFER OR DELIVERY OF YOUR WINNING CERTIFICAT=
E, YOU SHOULD SEND US YOUR PERSONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBER SO THE BANK OR=
COURIER COMPANY CAN CONTACT YOU OF THE DUELLY FILLED CLAIMS FORM, OUR =
LAWYER WILL NOTIFY THE BOARD MANAGEMENT (BM), SO AS TO GIVE APPROVAL TO=
OUR PAYING BANK,COURIER AND DIPLOMATIC COMPANY, THE PERMISSION TO MAKE=
IT TO YOU BY PHONE AND EMAIL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS PROMOTIONAL AWARD PROGRAM.

OUR SPECIAL THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO BILL GATES AND HIS ASSOCIATES.WE WI=
SH YOU THE
BEST OF LUCK AS YOU SPEND YOUR GOOD FORTUNE.THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF=
OUR COMMEMORATIVE DRAWS.

SINCERELY,
MR. ADAM SMITH
MICROSOFT PROMOTION TEAM.

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Descubre el poder latino en el Mes de la Hispanidad http://www.starmedi=
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Descubre el poder latino en el Mes de la Hispanidad http://www.starmedi=
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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam