419 scam: =?iso-8859-1?Q?=A92010_Microsoft_Corporation?= <winner@microsoft.co.uk> Internet User Encouragement¸"

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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.
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.
- +447011120583 (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.
- deskofdesmond@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?=A92010_Microsoft_Corporation?= <winner@microsoft.co.uk> (may be fake)
Reply-To: deskofdesmond@aim.com
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:49:20 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Internet User Encouragement

Dear Sir/ Madam,

The prestigious Microsoft has set out and successfully organized a
Sweepstakes marking year 2010 anniversary.Participants for the draws were
randomly 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
personalized email addresses to ticket numbers. If you ignore this
message, you will definitely regret it later. Microsoft is now the largest
Internet company & in effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remain
the most widely used program, Microsoft is running an e-mail beta test.

Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to reference and
ticket number 00287593025 with Serial numbers MIC-MSN/9874/10 and drew
the Lucky numbers 98-EI6489-10,which subsequently won you £ 950,000.00
(Nine Hundred And Fifty Thousand Pounds ) as one of the jackpot winner in
this draw. You have therefore won the entire winning sum of £ 950,000.00
(Nine Hundred And Fifty Thousand Pounds ) the draw registered as Draw
number one was conducted in HERTFORDSHIRE, UK on the 15th June 2010.

These Draw are commemorative and as such special. Please be informed by
this winning notification to file your claims immediately. You are advised
to make contact to your referred agent who shall by duty guide you through
the process to facilitate the release of your winning prize.

To file for this claims, Please Contact your referred agent with your
verification information as required on the form below, beginning the
claims Of your winnings funds as conducted by the lottery company. We
dedicate our special thanks & gratitude to Bill Gates {Now Retired from
Microsoft Corporations} .We wishes you the best of luck as you spend your
good fortune in this season.

Note: You have One(1) week from the date of this publication to claim your
prize or you may forfeit your winnings. Thank you for being part of our
year Commemorative Anniversary Draw. Find below your referred agent and
the verification form:

Contact Mr.Desmond Harry
Address: 370 CENTENNIAL AVENUE.ELSTREE,HERTFORDSHIRE, WD6 3TJ, UK
Tel:+44 701 112 0583
Email: deskofdesmond@aim.com

Name: ...................................
Country of Origin.......................
Place of Residence......................
Occupation...............................
Sex/Age.................................
Telephone/Fax............................

NOTE: DUE TO FRAUDSTERS, WE HAVE DECIDED TO EFFECT TRANSFER TO YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT ONLY AND WHEN CONTACTING YOUR REFERRED AGENT, DO QUOTE YOUR TICKET
NUMBER AND SERIAL NUMBER FOR SECURITY REASONS.

Mr. Kevin Turner
Public Relations Officer
©Microsoft Corporation

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believed to be clean.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam