419 scam: "Microsoft Award Team." <linda@noos.fr> MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION

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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:
- "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claims director" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "greater london" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "paul_parker0002@xnmsn.cn" (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.
- +447024069640 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Microsoft Award Team." <linda@noos.fr>
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:14:28 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION

Microsoft Award Team.
Bailey House, Har Road
Sutton, Greater London
SM1 4te United A Kingdom.
Batch: 12/25/0340

Dear Winner

MICROSOFT WINNING NOTIFICATION.. APRIL 2010 WINNER

This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of Five Hundred Thousand Pounds (£500,000) for the 2010 Month of April Lottery
promotion organized by Microsoft Award Team. Microsoft Award Team collects all the email addresses of people that are active
on-line, Among the millions of People that subscribed to Yahoo and Hot-mail we only select five people every Month as our
winners through electronic balloting System without the winner applying. We Congratulate you for being one of the people selected.

PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM
You are to contact your Claims Agent with immediate effect to facilitate the protocol of your winning prize before the expiry date of Claim; Winners shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement Center. Prize must be claimed not later than 7 days from date of Draw Notification Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited. These are your identification numbers:

Batch number...................12/25/0340
Ref number.......................Ref: MSN-L/200-26937
Winning number...................YM09788

To begin your claim please contact our licensed and accredited agent assigned to you

Mr. Paul Parker
(VERIFICATION DEPARTMENT MANAGER)
Email:paul_parker0002@xnmsn.cn
Tel: +447024069640

You are therefore advised to send the following information to the claims agent to help facilitate the claims of your prize .Note that it is mandatory you use the email of the Accredited agent above to send your response so that your email will be attended to, if you click reply on this message you will not get the response of your Accredited agent, so you are expected to carefully use the email address of the claims director above to provide your requested information.

1. Full name............
2. Country..............
3. Contact Address.......
4. Telephone Number........
5. Marital Status.........
6. Occupation.............
7. Company..............
8. Age...................

Your winning Prize would be approved for release and we will begin the process of remittance to you through Courier Delivery of a Certified cheque of five hundred thousand pounds (£500,000) Payable to you from any Bank in the world would be sent to you via the services of a courier Company..

Please Note :Microsoft Award Prize must be claimed not later than 7 days from date draw Notification after the Draw date in which Prize has won. Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.Thank you for being part of our commemorative Monthly Draws. Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the interactive Lotteries Board Commission.

Yours in service,
Mrs. Felicia Walker
(Operation Manager)
Microsoft Promotion Award Team.
Microsoft Winning Notification

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam