Consumer Fraud Reporting
Microsoft Award Team
Reporting on the Latest Frauds, Scams, Fake Lotteries, Spams and Hoaxes

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Sample Lottery Scam Email:
Microsoft Award Team ,
 Mr. Stan Willis, Mr. Fletcher Class
What lottery would write: "If you ignore this, you will regret it later"?

Below is yet another version of the Microsoft scam - this one using the name "Microsoft Award Team", or "Microsoft Award Winning Lottery Notification", or "MICROSOFT EMAIL PROMOTION DEPARTMENT" or "Microsoft Promotion Award Team" or "MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO" - the scammer uses ALL of these names in the same email. This ranks as one of the most pathetic scams attempts we've ever seen. If you fell for this scam, we really feel sorry for you; you must get scammed on a daily basis.  Why do we say this?  Well, this scam includes so many, many obvious elements of a scam, and they are so ridiculous that we can't imagine anyone believing it. For example, Microsoft and AOL are competitors!

There are many signs that this is a fraud, not the least of which are:

  • Microsoft never has and never will sponsor a lottery, of any kind.  Bill Gates has made that pretty clear. Is there any way we make make that more clear?

  • 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".

  • The scammer can not even spell "hundred" correctly.

  • "The prestigious Microsoft and AOL"? Pigs will fly before Microsoft sponsors a lottery together with AOL.

  • Microsoft's headquarters are in Redmond, Washington, USA.  Why would they announce this in "Brockley, England"?

In addition to the usual clues, notice the gibberish writing, excessive/incorrect use of CAPITAL letters, lack of decent punctuation.  The sentences don't even make sense.  Hardly what a professional (i.e., real) lottery would do. Note the other clues to an obvious fraud that we have highlighted in the letter; keep confidential, selected by a random computer lottery of email addresses, use of free email accounts, etc.

Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification. 

 Also see this page for a sample in the UK.

Microsoft Promotion
20 Craven Park, Harlesden London NW10
United Kingdom

Ref: BTD/968/05
Batch: 409978E

Dear Winner,

WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!

The prestigious Microsoft and AOL has set out and successfully organised a Sweepstakes marking this year anniversary, we rolled out over 10,000.000.00 (Ten million Great Britain Pounds) for this 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 randomly from World Wide Web site through a computer draw system extracted from over 100,000 individuals and companies, attaching 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 better test.

Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached to ticket number 008795727498 with serial numbers BTD/9080648302/06 and drew the lucky numbers 14-21-25-39-40-47(20) which subsequently won you 1,000,000.00 (One Million Great Britain Pounds) as one of the 10 jackpot winners in this draw. You have therefore won the sum of 1,000,000.00 (One Million Great Britain Pounds). The! draws registered as Draw number one was conducted in Brockley, London United Kingdom on the 1th April 2007. These Draws are commemorative and as such special.

Please be informed by this winning notification, to file your claims, you are to make contact with your designated agent who shall by duty guide you through the process to facilitate the release of your prize. To file for your claim Please Contact your fiduciary agent

Mr. Fletcher Class

Microsoft Promotion

Email: f.clas@hotmail.co.uk

You are advised to contact your fiduciary agent with the following details to avoid unnecessary delays and complications:

Your Full Names

Country

Ticket Numbers

Batch Number

Serial Number

Lucky Numbers

As indicated in this winning Notification and Phone numbers. Thank you for being part of this promotional award program.

Our special thanks and gratitude to Bill Gates and his associates, we wish you the best of luck as you spend your good fortune. Thank you for being part of our commemorative this Anniversary Draws.

Sincerely,

Mr. Stan Willis

Microsoft Promotion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and contains confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.

©2007 Microsoft MSN Corporation. All rights reserved

Names of Scam / Fake / Fraud Lottery 

Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies

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