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 "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 vian email (see footnote) The scammers may change the names and details, but it is still a scam!
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.
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?
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!
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 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 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:
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.
"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!
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.
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?
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!"
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.
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,_
, 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:+447045728812Email 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.
Warm Regards,
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.
Dr.Christopher Mcdonald
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,