419 scam: "YAHOO/MS LOTTERY" <INFO@msm.com> (no subject)

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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.
The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "yahoo/msn lottery inc" (no such lottery exists)
- "yahoo/msn lottery" (no such lottery exists)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- +447031869931 (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.
- info_msmoffice1@yahoo.com.hk (Yahoo, Hong Kong; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "YAHOO/MS LOTTERY" <INFO@msm.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: msmclaimsdept1@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 07:03:53 -0500 (COT)
Subject:

Yahoo/Msn Lottery
Incoperation, Baley House, Har Road
Sutton, Greater London
SM1 4te,United Kingdom.

TO WINNERS IN OUR PROGRAM

This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of Five hundred
thousand, Great Britain Pound Sterlings(Â£500,000.00) for the month of
FEBUARY 2010 Lottery promotion which is organized by YAHOO/MSN
LOTTERY INC &WINDOWS LIVE.

YAHOO/MSN & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, collects all the email addresses of the
people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to
INTERNET we only select five people every Month as our winners through
electronic ballotingSystem without the winner applying,we congratulate
you for being one of the people selected.

You are to contact the events manager on or before your date of Claim,
Winners Shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement Centre.
Yahoo/Msn Lottery Prize must be claimed no later than 10 days from
date of Draw Notification afterthe Draw date in which Prize has won.
Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.
These are your identification numbers:

Batch number........................YM 09102XN
Reff number.........................YM35447XN
Winning number......................YM09788
These numbers fall within your Location file, you are requested to
contact the events manager, send your winning identification numbers
to him,to enable him verify your claims.How ever you will have to
fill and submit this form to the events manager for verification &
direction on how you can claim your winning fund.
1. Full name............. 2. Contact Address................
3. Age................... 4. Telephone Number...............
5. Marital Status........ 6. Sex............................
7. Next Of Kin........... 8. Zip Code.......................
9. Occupation............ 10. Company.......................
11.State:................ 12.Country........................
13.Nationality...........
14.Your Reference and Batch number are at the top of this mail:

CONTACT EVENTS MANAGER)
Name:Dr.Christopher Mcdonald
TELL:+447031869931
Email : info_msmoffice1@yahoo.com.hk
Thank you and Accept my hearty congratulations once again!
Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Teresa Billington
(Yahoo/Msn Lottery Games/Lottery Coordinator).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam