Lottery Scam Email:
Microsoft Award Team, MICROSOFT LOTTERY COMPANY DESK, MICROSOFT LOTTERY AWARD PROMOTION
"Dr.Christopher Mcdonald", "MR: COLE smith. "
Have you received an email from "Dr.Christopher Mcdonald" at "Microsoft Award Team, MICROSOFT LOTTERY COMPANY DESK, MICROSOFT LOTTERY AWARD PROMOTION" telling you that "your
email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to
contact "MR: COLE smith. " to collect your winnings? It is a
scam. No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners via email (see footnote) The scammers may
change the names and details, but it is still a scam!
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First, it ought to be obvious to anyone with a 5th grade
education that Microsoft does NOT have a lottery of any kind, and never
will. For-profit business rarely run lotteries in the developed world;
and only under strict government regulation and supervision.
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Secondly, if a company like Microsoft or Yahoo were to
sponsor a lottery, don't you think that it would be well publicized?
After all, isn't that the point?
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Wouldn't you also expect that the address, phone numbers and
email address would be those associated with the company, and probably from
their global headquarters? Microsoft's HQ is in Redmond, Washington,
USA; not the UK, and they certainly don't need to use free email accounts
from their competitor, Yahoo, to write to you!
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If you win a lottery, aren't the winnings yours to use as
you please? Why would they say "We do believe that your winnings will
be put into good use for community, educational and business development. "
This is typical scammer stupidity.
Below is the example of the fake lottery scam claiming to
be from the "Microsoft Award Team, MICROSOFT LOTTERY COMPANY DESK, MICROSOFT LOTTERY AWARD PROMOTION".
Although the most important clue is that no legitimate
lottery will ever email a winner, there are many other signs that this is a fraud.
We have
highlighted some of these in the email below, not the least
of which are:
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Email address ballot: There is no such thing as a
"computer ballot system" or "computer email draw". No one, not even
Microsoft has a database of email addresses of the type or magnitude they
suggest.
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"No tickets were sold": You care to explain where the
money comes from? Perhaps the lottery money fairy? Why would a lottery
give away money to "email address randomly selected by a computer ballot
draw system"? This is CLEARLY nonsense: you MUST, repeat MUST buy a
ticket to have a chance of winning any lottery!
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Terrible spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar -
Notice "DUELY" instead of "duly", "These documents has been" instead of
"These documents have been", and plenty more examples. These show that a
illiterate criminal wrote this, not an educated professional person who
would be employed by Microsoft. Scammers
also apparently don't know how to use spell checkers. We assume they
dropped out of school before that class. They use almost excessive and random CapItaLiZAtion.
They often can't even spell "February" or know that "22th" ought to
be "22nd". These scammers usually write at the 3rd grade level.
Being non-native English speakers, they also often get first names and
surnames (last names reversed), so you will frequently see names like "Mr.
SMITH JAMES.", instead of "Mr. James Smith", along with the peculiar usage
of periods (full stops) and spaces or the lack thereof. Real lotteries also proofread their emails
and look and read more professional.
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Using free email account: The scammer is writing to
you from a FREE email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, Excite, AIM, Gmail, etc.). Don't you think a real organization
would use it's own email, it's own domain and website?
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Keep Confidential - Real lotteries THRIVE on
publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity
causes people to buy more tickets. there is NO risk of "double claiming"
because they can validate where the ticket numbers were sold. The scammer
want you to keep quiet because they don't want the police or
ConsumerFraudreporting to hear about them! It should read: "For our own security, you
are advised to keep your winning information confidential until we have
finished scamming you!"
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Email notification: NO REAL LOTTERY SENDS AN EMAIL TO
NOTIFY WINNERS. Period. Full-stop. End of story. There mere fact
ALONE that you received an email saying you won a lottery is proof that it
is a scam.
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
1. Actual scam email (One example - the scammers constantly change
names, dates and addresses!):
From:
Dr.Christopher Mcdonald <
microsoft_windows_dept01@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Jan 14, 2008 3:49 PM
Subject: CONTACT GLOBAL COURIER FOR DELIVERY
Microsoft Award Team
120 Craven Park,
London NW10
United Kingdom
Ref: BTD/968/05
Batch: 409978E
Dear,_<potential
victim>,
Congratulations once again
on behalf of the MICROSOFT LOTTERY COMPANY DESK .
We do believe
that your winnings will be put into good use for community, educational and
business development.
On Behalf of the Screening Committee of BOARD, I wish to
formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the Email Screening
and Verification Form Matching Test conducted for all online winners in your
Category. Hence you are therefore cleared. your cheque has been issued and you
can now claim your fund.
All necessary documents that will facilitate the clearance of your cheque in
your name has been processed. Your parcel contains the following documents:
1.WINNING CHEQUE
VALUED THE SUM OF £500,000.00
2.WINNING
CERTIFICATE FROM THE MICROSOFT LOTTERY AWARD PROMOTION.
3.CLEAR SOURCE OF
FUNDS CERTIFICATES(C.S.F.C.)
4.LETTER OF
AFFIDAVITS FROM THE BRITISH HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE,
STATING THAT THE
WINNING WAS RECEIVED LEGALLY FROM THE MICROSOFT PROGRAM, AND
DUELY SIGNED BY THE
LEGAL ATTORNEY TO THE LOTTERY BOARD.
These documents has been
securely sealed and packed for security reasons which makes it impossible for
anyone to view it until its been delivered to you and there are some document
you have to sign after you have receive the prize. TAKE NOTE.
Your parcel with
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: PC/3445X/2007 and PIN MCL/676/66421/W
has been sent to our affiliated courier company
(GLOBAL EXPRESS COURIER SERVICE ). You are required to contact
the courier officer of GLOBAL EXPRESS COURIER CUSTOMER DESK
with your IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND PIN.
Contact person,
MR: COLE smith.
Phone:+447045728812
Email address:
enquiry_globalcourier_online02@yahoo.co.uk
NOTE:Services
rendered by Global Express Couriers Service are to be paid by
you and not the lottery board. Have it in mind that your won prize
cannot be deducted from, this is because your cheque cannot be cashed by anyone.
This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the national gambling act as
adopted in 1993 and amended on 3RD July 1996 by the constitutional assembly.
This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds.
Its is imperative that you
add your identification number and pin as the subject of any
correspondence with the courier company to ensure they respond in a timely
manner.
I will require an update on proceedings
with the firm as soon as you are in contact with them. If you need any
assistance what so ever, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Warm Regards,
Dr.Christopher Mcdonald
2. Potential victim's reply to the scammer
dear sir,
Thanks for your reply, but i would like to inform you that
right now i am not in a position to send you any advance payment for the same. I
will be glad if you send the parcel on cash on delivery basis, whatever extra
charges will be required i will pay at the time of delivery.
regards,
3. The Scammer's reply to the potential victim
On 1/15/08, cole smith <enquiry_globalcourier_online02@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:
Global Express Courier Service
HEAD
OFFICE
Unit
6, Marino Way,
Hogwood Lane Industrial Estate,
Finchampstead,
Berkshire
RG40 4RF, United Kingdom
Attention. <victim's
name>,
Welcome to Global
Express Couriers Services.We are a well established company offering courier and
transport services 24 hour a day for priority delivery of letters, parcels and
consignments to any destination by road, air or sea.
You are to please confirm
your winning information below if they are yours in other for us to validate it
into our database delivery system.
PARCEL/NUM/3232
Batch number........YM 09102XN
Reff
number.........YM 35447XN
Winning number......YM09788.
We have a substantial
team of couriers available for motorcycle dispatch plus van driver couriers in
all size vehicles from small vans upto 7.5 tone and international couriers for
dispatch by road, sea or air.This is to inform you that we are in possession of
a certified parcel with identification number parcel/num/3232 which is to be
forwarded to you.
Your
particulars have been received in this office from the
microsoft-yahoo UK incorporations.
This means that you have been officially cleared for payment by the
Verifications Dept. at the headquarters of the MICROSOFT-YAHOO UK ONLINE LOTTERY
PROMOTIONS. Your winning check, original copy of your winning certificate,
together with a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of
Affidavit for Claims) from the British government stating that the money was
obtained legally through their Lottery promotion will be sent to you.
We will only deliver the parcel to the address you have given
us and who ever will be receiving the parcel must have a valid identification of
him/herself.
To begin the final step of the claims process,
Below are the mandatory charges that you required to pay to
enable us courier your certified parcel to you. You are allowed to choose one of
our three specified shipment options.
|
Choose
Options:
|
1.Express
Delivery |
2.Courier Regular |
3.Courier
Regular late
. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Global Courier World Wide Delivery Online |
24hours day delivery |
2-3 Working days |
4-5 working days |
|
Mailing. |
£170.00 |
£150.00 |
£120.00 |
|
Insurance |
£80.00
|
£80.00
|
£80.00
|
|
Vat (5%) |
£300.00 |
£200.00 |
£150.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL COST
GB(Pounds)
|
£550:00 |
£430:00
|
£350:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note:Global courier Service do not carry out Cash On Delivery (C.O.D) facilities
as all payments must be forwarded and confirmed at our Accounts Department
before shipment can commence.Insurance on your parcel is compulsory because the
financial status of the parcel.
Shipping our parcel without insurance will be an illegal act on
our part. This means payment for the insurance fee must be made before shipment
can commence to avoid risk. We can not afford to pay for your parcel if anything
goes wrong. This is why your parcel must be insured with the British Insurance
Ministry.
Indicate your shipment option. for delivery within four (4)
working days from this communication.
NOTE:All orders not
delivered within four (4) working days from this communication will be returned
to the lottery organisation. Do acknowledge the receipt of this mail.
We are glad to be of
service to you and have a nice day.
Mr.Cole Smith
Dispatch Officer
TELEPHONE:
Tel :
+44-7045728812
Sent from
Yahoo! - a smarter inbox.
4. Not hearing back from the potential victim, the scammers try to apply
some pressure, again using pathetically poor English and from a free Yahoo email
account; neither of these are something you would expect from someone
representing Microsoft in a lottery winning!
From: cole smith <
enquiry_globalcourier_online02@yahoo.co.uk >
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:13:06 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: UPDATE
DEAR <victim's name>
YOUR MAIL WAS READ AND
QUIT
UNDESTAND.BUT
YOU SEE CANNOT GO AGAINST OUR
COMPANY POLICY. ALL PAYMENT ARE
TO BE MADE IN ADVANCEMENT ONCE THIS IS
CONFIRM BY OUR ACCOUNT OFFICER YOUR PARCEL
WILL BE DELIVERY
TO IN THE NEXT 48HOURS.
ALL YOU NEED TO
DO IS FOR YOU TO SEND TO THIS OFFICE THE DELIVERY OPTION WHICH YOU HAVE
CHOOSEN SO THAT WE CAN SEND AN
ACCOUNT WHICH YOU ARE TO DEPOSIT THE
SAID AMOUNT.
REGARDS
MR COLE SMITH
---------------------------------
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