419 scam: "MICROSOFT TEAM AWARD" CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON A CASH PRIZE

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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:
- "20 craven park, harlesden" (address often used in fake lottery scams)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "million dollars" (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!

Fraud email example:

From: "MICROSOFT TEAM AWARD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lwrncgrand1@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2012 19:31:17 -0500
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON A CASH PRIZE

Micosoft Award Team
20 Craven Park, Harlesden
London NW10
United Kingdom
Ref:MSW-L/327015002/2011
Batch No: 6614/00322/L9-20

Dear Winner,
The Board of Directors of Microsoft Worldwide Co-operation Management announces you as 1 of our 30 lucky winners of this Year's draw held this month.
All 30 winning Email Addresses were randomly selected from a batch of 786,000 international emails world-wide, and your email address emerged alongside with
29 others as the Third category winner. Consequently you have therefore been approved for a total pay out of GBP 638,313.34 , 00 Sx hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand Great British Pounds and Three Hundred and Fourteen Thousand Pounds
thousand great British Pound Sterling).Approximately One million dollars. The following particulars are attached to your lottery payment order.
(i) Ref:MSW-L/327015002/2011
(!!)Batch Number:6614/00322/L9-20
(iii)Ticked Number:214-056-278
To file for your claim, PROVIDING THE BELOW INFORMATION REQUIRED TO CLAIM YOUR WINNING PRIZE to Funds Processing and Release Appointed Fiduciary Officer
Rev.Lawrence Grand via email.
1. Full Name..
2. Address..
3. Nationality...
4. Age...Date of Birth:.....................
5. Occupation..
6. Phone..Phone 2: ....................Fax: no.....
7. State of Origin: ......................Country:
.................
For due processing and remittance of your prize money .Remember, all prize moneymust be claimed not later than two Weeks after notice. After this date, all
funds will be returned as unclaimed and forfeited as entrenched in the Code of ethics binding the stipulated law.

Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Mary Hacketts.
Microsoft Promotion Team
THIS FUND IS NOT AT LIBERTY TO MAKE ANY DEDUCTIONS FROM YOUR WINNING FUND BECAUSE YOUR WINNING PRIZE HAS BEEN INSURED AND UNDER THE INSURANCE POLICY AND RULES GUIDING THIS PROMOTION, YOU ARE TO BE PAID THE FULL AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU WON WITHOUT ANY DEDUCTIONS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam