Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Have you received an email from "Miss.Rose DE-Lauren" at "MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM MICROSOFT (and AOL)" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Dr.BRIGHT TAHIRA" to collect your winnings? It is a scam.
Did you know that Microsoft has a sweepstakes in which they randomly give away money to people whose email addresses Microsoft magically "collected"? This is news to Microsoft, too. It is a scam.
Microsoft has never had any sweepstakes (and we're pretty sure they never will). Bill Gates has made that pretty clear. Their motto is most definitely NOT "Fighting Poverty Around the World".
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", to reward users, nor "to promote 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 completely gullible!
Below is the example of the fake email scam (the email is the scam, not any persons or companies named in the email) claiming to be from the "MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM MICROSOFT (and AOL)".
Although the most important clue is that there is NO Microsoft sweepstakes, lottery or any other giveaway, 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:
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.
Terrible spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar - Scammers 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.
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 Microsoft would write to your from and have you reply to an address "@Microsoft.com"?
Keep Confidential - Real sweepstakes and lotteries THRIVE on publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to enter or buy more of their products. 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!"
Require the winner to pay - U.S. federal law prohibits sweepstakes from charging you for anything, not "delivery", couriers, taxes, fees, handling charges, or anything else!
Here is a typical scam sweepstakes winning notification.
From:
Date: Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 2:10 AM
Subject: FROM MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM MICROSOFT
To: micro2con@aol.de
FROM MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM MICROSOFT
Address 20 Park,Harlesden London NW15 United Kingdom Ticket number ====== Micro/Aol/ 79-55-279-18 Serial number ====== Micro/Aol/ 96-14-06-08
Ref number ====== Micro/Aol/ 78-74-40-08
Batch number ====== Micro/Aol/ 56-87-54-98 Lucky number ====== 885-32-48-40(111)
Winning code number: (19000)
Dear Winner,
WINNING NOTIFICATION
We write to inform you that Microsoft and aol has set out and sucessfully organised a Sweepstakes marking the year 2008 anniversary we rolled out over GBP £8,000 000 00 for our end of year Anniversary Draws. Participants for the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.
The selection was made through a computer draw system attaching personalised email addresses to ticket numbers. If you ignore this, you will regret it later. Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test.
Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to Ticket number======Micro/Aol/ 79-55-279-18 with Serial number ======Micro/Aol/ 96-14-06-08 and drew the Lucky number ======885-32-48-40(111) which subsequently won you £ 2,000,000.00 (Two Million Great British Pounds) as one of the 4 jackpot winners in this draw. You have therefore won the entire winning sum of £2,000,000.00 (Two Million Great British Pounds) The draws registered as Draw number one was conducted in Brockley, London United Kingdom on the 25th of March 2008.These Draws are commemorative and as such special.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of £2,000,000.00 (Two Million Great Britain Pounds) in cash, which is the winning payout for Second category winners. This is from the total prize money of (£GBP)£8,000,000:00 (Eight million Great Britain Pounds)shared among the Four Winners in the Second category.
CONGRATULATIONS !
Your winnings should be claimed from our paying COURIER FIRM: FRONTIERS DELIVERY SERVICES .As we have notified them. Due to the mix-up that may arise from emails of winners and numbers we ask that you keep this award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program.
We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year(2008)high stakes(£GBP)£8,000,000:00 (Eight million Great Britain Pounds). To begin your claim, please contact immediately, our paying agent who also will be you claims agent:
Call Dr.BRIGHT TAHIRA.
MANAGER FRONTIERS DELIVERY SERVICE
OFFICE ADDRESS:20 Park,Harlesden London NW15 United Kingdom
Email: deliverymicroaward@gmail.com
Tele:+44 703 1840 039
Tele:+44 703 1837 471
Contact Person:Call Dr.BRIGHT TAHIRA.
For due processing and remittance of your prize money, remember you must contact your claim manager not later than two weeks. Otherwise all funds will be returned as unclaimed. And, should there be any change in your email address,do inform your claims manager as soon as possible.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your ref:number and batch number in every of your correspondences with your claims agent.
Also to begin your Claims send to your claims agent the following information by email:
Occupation:....................
Full names:....................
Marital Status:................
Sex:...........................
Age:...........................
Tel:...........................
Fax:...........................
Your Address:..................
Country Of Residence:..........
Once again we say congratulation and thanks for being part of our Promotions program.
Yours sincerely,
Miss.Rose DE-Lauren.
Microsoft Online Promotions.
Online Co-coordinator for Microsoft Award Team
N.B.This is a computer-generated message. Please do not reply to this mail since we will be unable to answer. Contact your Claims Manager by Email, or Phone immediately. Anybody below the age of 18 is automatically disqualified
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