Did you know that Microsoft's Word application has a lottery? And that they give
away huge amounts of money to people simply for having "an active online email
account"? This is news to Microsoft, too. If you received an email from "MRS.PATRICIA LAWRENCE" at "MICROSOFT WORD LOTTERY - MSWMEGA JACKPOT LOTTO WINNINGS PROGRAMS" telling you that "your
email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to
contact "MR. PRINCE FORDHAM" to collect your winnings, it is a
scam. Microsoft has never had any lottery (and we're pretty sure they never
will). Bill Gates has made that pretty clear. And, while we're on
the subject, Microsoft is not, does not, and will not ever send you to DisneyWorld. They
don't "test the internet", nor sponsor email lotteries to "promote use of the
internet", "to promote the use of email", nor "the use of computers
worldwide". Nor do they have lotteries to "promote MS Word" or "the launch
of Vista", Hotmail, or other products. No lottery selects winners "using a
database of email addresses", or "from websites worldwide", or from "our
computer ballot system".
The scammers may
change the names and details, but it is still a scam! Don't be an complete
imbecile!
Below is the example of the fake lottery scam claiming to
be from the "MICROSOFT WORD LOTTERY - MSWMEGA JACKPOT LOTTO WINNINGS PROGRAMS".
FROM: THE DESK OF THE E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT MICROSOFT WORD LOTTERY,UK 61-70
Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, LONDON, United Kingdom, WC1B 4AR DIRECTOR:MR. KENT
ANDERSON.
REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937
BATCH: 2005MJL-01
ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION
FINAL NOTIFICATIONS!!!!!
!!!CONGRATULATIONS!! !!TO!! !!YOU!!!!!!
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today
of winners of the MSWMEGA JACKPOT LOTTO WINNINGS PROGRAMS held on 8th November
2007.
Your company or
your personal e-mail address, is
attached to winning number20-12DEC-2004-02MSW, with serial number
S/N-00168 drew the lucky numbers887-13-865- 37-10-83,
and consequently won in the first lottery category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out
of GBP5,500,000.00POUNDS in cash which is approximately $10.4 MILLION US DOLLARS
(this amount is excluding credited to file REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937. This is
from total prize money of GBP 27,500,000.00POUNDS, shared among the Twenty
(5)international winners in this category.
All participants were selected through our
microsoft
computer ballot system drawn form 21,000 names,3,000 names from each continent,
as part ofInternational "E-MAIL" Promotions Program, which is conducted annually
for our prominent MS WORD user all over the world, and for
the continues use of
E-mail.We are sorry to let you know that our site is still under construction,
as we are updating our site.
Your fund has been deposited in an escrow account and
insured with your REF NO:MSW-L/200-26937 and your E-mail address, Please note
that, you are to contact usvia email and not phone as we are
promoting the use
of E-mail, any communications with this office should be by mail, You have the
right to callthe bank, as we will provide you with the necessary details on how
to claim your prize. You are to keep your ref. number and batch number from the public,until you have been processed and your money remitted to your account.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double
claiming and the act of scamming people of their ref number and prizes. We hope
with a part of your prize, you will participate in our year high stakes US$1.3
billion International Lottery.
To claim your winning prize, you must first contact the
claims department by email for processing and remittance of your prize money to
you.
The claims officer contact email is:
CLAIMS OFFICER :MR. PRINCE FORDHAM
E-m@il:
princefordham99@gmail.com
** WINNERS must claim their winning prize before the
27TH OF FEBUARY, 2008. All funds not claimed on or before the fixed date will be
penalised accordingly.
THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE BENEFICIARY OF THE
STATED FUND, FOR VERIFICATION BEFORE TRANSFER.
BENEFICIARY FIRST NAME-------------
BENEFICIARY LAST NAME--------------
RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS----------------
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH------------
TEL. NUMBER------------------------
FAX NUMBER-------------------------
EMAIL ADDRESS----------------------
NEXT OF KIN NAME AND ADDRESS-------
AMOUNT WON-------------------------
BATCH NUMBER-----------------------
REFERENCE Nș-----------------------
OCCUPATION-------------------------
MARITAL STATUS----------------------
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and
complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers in all
correspondences with your claims officer. Do not reply any other mails like
this on net as they are alot of scam artist out there pretending to be us. You
may see mails like this do not reply. Do contact your claims officer MR. PRINCE
FORDHAM, at once by email. You will be asked to provide some details to enable
us proceed file keeping.
Congratulations!!
Oncemore.
Yours Faithfully,
MRS.PATRICIA LAWRENCE.
LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR/ANNOUNCER.
NOTE: YOU ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO KEEP ALL YOUR WINNING
CONFIDENTIAL TILL CLAIM IS MADE TO AVOID WRONG CLAIMING.ANY BREACH OF
CONFIDENCIAL
DISQULIFIES YOU FROMGETTING YOUR PRIZE.
NOTE2: Do not reply this mail. You are to contact your
claims officer immediately.
SPONSORS:-
CHIEF SPONSOR;
MICROSOFT CO-OPERATIONS UK;MICROSOFT CO OPERATIONS ASIA;
MICROSOFT CO-OPERATIONS USA ;AMTRAK COURIER EXPRESS;GLOBAL COURIER EXPRESS.
© copyright 2008 by Microsoft Co-operations United
Kingdom. All Rights Reserved.
