419 scam: "MSN INFORMATION CENTER" <info@microsoft.co.uk> WINNING NOTIFICATION DEPT

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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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million pounds" (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)
- "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.
- +447024012639 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
- +447024018547 (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.
- drwilliams_wood@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MSN INFORMATION CENTER" <info@microsoft.co.uk>
Reply-To: msn.notices0010@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2010 09:47:06 +0800
Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION DEPT

WINNING NOTIFICATION DEPT
YAHOO MSN-AWARD LOTTERY PROGRAMM
United Kindom ,61-70
Southampton Row
Bloomsbury London WINNER NO 19
United Kingdom WC 1B 19AR.
Ref: MS-475061723 Batch: 744RT/MSN/UK

We the MSN/YAHOO AND MICROSOFT MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE we are pleased to inform
you today being the 3rd 0f April of winners of our annual MSN/YAHOO AND
MICROSOFT-AWARD LOTTERY PROGRAMM conducted in UNITED KINGDOM on the 26th of
March 2010.

Your E-mail address or is attached to WINNER NO19, with serial
number:7741137002 ,drew the lucky numbers :6-9-11-33-36-49-29 , Batch No:
744RT/MSN/UK which consequently won in the 3rd lottery category. You have
therefore been approved for lump sums pay of 1,000,000.00 pounds (One million
pounds) in cash ,Credited to file REF NO:MS-475061723 .

This is from the total prize money of 80,000,000 pounds which is to be shared
among the eighty national winners in categories C. All participants in this
lottery program were selected randomly through our MSN/YAHOO AND MICROSOFT
Computer Ballot System, drawn from 850.000.000 microsoft users from all
search engines.Your e-mail address was picked by the automated MSN/YAHOO AND
MICROSOFT Computer Ballot System, which has been programed for this random
selection.

This has eventually qualified you for the Winning.This promotional program
takes place annually, and is promoted and sponsored by MSN/YAHOO AND
MICROSOFT Company ,eminent personalities with the support of British/European
corporate companies and organizations to encourage the use of Internet and
computers worldwide and as little way of giving back to the society what they
have recieved from them.

In view of this, your prize 1,000,000,00 pounds would be released to you by
Our Prize Payment Manager (DR.WILLIAMS WOOD). He will immediately commence
the process ,to facilitate the release of your lucky won prize as soon as you
contact him for the claim .

You are to keep your ref. number and batch number from the public, until you
have received your cash prize. This is part of our security protocol to avoid
double claiming and the act of scamming /hacking people of their ref number
and prizes.

You are advised contact our Prize Processing Officer by means of email or
phone to the below contact info within the hour of reading this winning
notification.

DR.WILLIAMS WOOD
Office Of The Prize Payment Authority
Prize Processing Officer
YAHOO/MSN-Award Lottery Promotion.
Email: drwilliams_wood@hotmail.com
Tel: + 447024018547/+447024012639

When you contact him for payment(Williams Wood) furninsh him with the
following details for the issue of your WINNING CERTIFICATE:

(1)Full Name..................
(2)Sex M/F.......................
(3) Country........................
(4)Date Of Birth................
(5) Occupation......................
(6) Home/Moblie Phone.........
(7) Scanned copy of Internetional Passport Or Driver's Licence

Note that all prize money must be claimed not later than one month of
notification . All funds not Claimed on or before the fixed date will be
returned as Unclaimed Prize and donated to The Charity and please be aware
that our Paying Authority will Effect Payment Swiftly upon satisfactory
Report,Verifications and validation provided by our prize processing officer.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember
to quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences with our
payment officer.

Congratulations, once more from the entire Management and Staffs of MSN/YAHOO
AND MICROSOFT COMPANY to all our lucky winners of this year.

Dr.Williams Wood
Prize Processing Officer

Robert Montaomery
Chairman of board of directors

Dr.Tom Mohr
President

Dr.Mrs Hilary Schneider
Lottery Co-ordinator

Mrs.Sue Clark-Johnson
Financial Secretary

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam