419 scam: "info@microsoft.co.uk"<csh@hk.edu.tw> CONGRATULATIONS.

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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "here in united kingdom" (this email uses bad English)
- "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. )
- "certified bank draft" (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. )
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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <microsft-claims@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2017 16:12:55 -0700
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS.

Microsoft Corporation

2 Kingdom Street Paddington,

London, W2 6BD

UNITED KINGDOM ENGLAND.

Winning Number: MIC HBB 23412

Ticket No: MIC/289/57/2017

Winning Amount:450, 000, 00 GBP

MICROSOFT ANNIVERSARY PROMOTION.

We wish to congratulate you once again on this note, for being part of our winners selected this year in the Microsoft Anniversary award held here in United Kingdom.This promotion was set-up to encourage active users of the Internet Microsoft Windows.Hence we do believe with your winning prize, you will continue to be active and patronage to the Microsoft Windows products.

We wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the requirements, statutory obligations, verification's, validations and satisfactory report Test conducted for all online winners.

We thereby formally inform you that you successfully passed the requirements, legal requirements and satisfactory report from all online test conducted and you have been awarded the total sum of 450,000.00 GBP {Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds Sterling’s). With your Winning Number: MIC HBB 23412.

A winning Cheque/international certified bank draft will be issued in your name by Microsoft Corporation Board, we write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contact the processing office immediately upon receipt of this message for verification, processing and eventual payment of the above prize to you.All you are advised to do is to fill the verification form below and get back to us for your winning payment to be processed.

Microsoft Winning Payment Validation Form

• Your Full Names:

• Your Contact Address:

• Your Country/Nationality:

• Your Telephone/Mobile Number(s):

• Occupation:

• Age/Gender:

• Alternative email account if any:

• Ever Won An Online Lottery:

METHOD OF PAYMENT:

1,BANK TO BANK TRANSFER, YOUR WINNINGS WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY.

2,COURIER DELIVERY OF YOUR CERTIFIED WINNING CHEQUE WITH YOUR WINNING DOCUMENTS

SAFELY TO YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY.

Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of the Microsoft interactive

Lotteries Board Commission.

Cindy Rose,

Microsoft UK CEO & Area Vice President.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam