It’s good to see Colin writing about a lottery scam that reached his inbox. They are more common than folks think, it seems that the scammers think we’re more gullible at this time of year. Xmas is the worse time of year to play the UK lottery – more folks than normal buy a ticket so even with the huge odds against you, if you did win something, it’s likely that you’ll have to share it with more people 🙁 However, in for a penny, in for a pound: if you don’t take part, you can’t win. I’d settle for a tidy £50,000, thanks very much – tip jar is at the bottom of this post!
I’m waiting for Microsoft to formally announce the fact that they are in the lottery business, as the e-mail below seems to suggest 🙂
[Update: 14/01/2007: More information can be found here.]
Some of the “scam clues” have been marked in bold.
FROM THE DESK OF THE MICROSOFT
COORDINATOR {MICROSOFT GLOBAL E-MAIL LOTTERY}
INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT
AMSTERDAM THE NETHERLANDS.
FILE REF:HL/5564/06/07/MICS
BATCH: MC11/834/5PDH /EUOFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION:
DEAR WINNER:
It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a suprise but please find time to read it carefully as we congratulate you over your success in the following official publication of results of the E-mail electronic online Sweepstakes organized by Microsoft,in conjunction with the foundation for the promotion of software products,(F.P.S.), held on the 9th of Dec.2006,in Amsterdam The Netherlands.
Wherein your electrononic email address emerged as one of the online
winning emails in the 1st category and therefore attracted a cash award of 1,000,000.00Euros(One Million Euros only).Our winners are arranged into four categories with different winning prizes accordingly in each category.They are arranged in this format below:
CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES
1st. 2 1,000,000:00euros each
2nd. 8 800,000:00euros each
3rd. 13 470,000:00euros each
4th. 27 170,000:00euros eachWe write to officially notify you of this award and to advise you to contact the processing office immediately upon receipt of this message for more information concerning the verification, processing and eventual payment of the above prize to you.
It is important to note that your award information was released with the following particulars attached to it.
(1) Award numbers: NL 56/7765
(2) Email ticket numbers: NL553/26/96
(3) Batch numbers: MC11/834/5PDH /EU
(4) The file reference numbers: HL/5564/40/07/MICS
{5} Serial Numbers:McST/006/NL4657For verification purpose be sure to include:
(1) Your mailing address.
(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.
(3) Your Nationality/Country.
{4}Your Full NamesTo file for your claim,Please contact your Validating Officer for VALIDATION of your winning within Twenty-nine working days of this winning notification.Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of winning notification are termed void and invalid. You are required to mention the above particulars
of your award in every correspondence to enable the Agent validate your winning.CONTACT:
*******************************************************************
FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
NAME MR.PATRICK DONKOR.
MICROSOFT SECURITY DEPARTMENT(NL).
TEL:+31-204-000-498.
TEL:+31-649-304-875.
FAX:+31-847-560-854.
E-mail: claimbglot@aim.com
********************************************************************The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by our
CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates:http://www.templetons.com/brad/billmap.gif and a consortium of software promotion companies.The Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers and other International Companies.The Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to encourage the use of the Internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.Once again on behalf of all our staff,
CONGRATULATIONS!
Yours faithfully,
Rosemary Van Ken (Mrs)
MICROSOFT E-MAIL LOTTERY PROMOTION COORDINATOR.
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Technorati Tags: scam, scams, lottery scams, recognising scams
I knew it was a scam from the time I started reading the letter. I just deleted it. Believe it or not I even got a follow up letter.
I got a variant of this and aargh aargh aargh, I thought it was part of the loopy lotto thing which I play and gave them my information! It was only after I’d sent it I realised that it was different and checked it out, what do I do?!
Please help
Michelle
Michelle – replying to this particular e-mail would have served to verify that your e-mail address was “good” and can now be used for further spamming. Luckily, this e-mail does not ask for any bank details (some do, the one you responded to might).
This would suggest that they might continue the scam by actually posting something to you, inviting you to pay them a sum of money in order for you to collect the fictious winnings.
Often these schemes invite you abroad whereby you are met by some people who will essentially mug you for all you’ve got.
Another known trick is to make you ‘phone a number in order to verify your claim, etc. The ‘phone number you call is typically a premium rate number and you’re kept on for a long time. So be warey of making any ‘phone calls to numbers you don’t recognise!
These are known as “advance fee” scams.
My advice to you is to check your postal mail very carefully before replying. And if you receive a telephone call inviting you to pay a fee in order to progress your claim, just hang up!
Further good advice can be found here:
http://www.oft.gov.uk/Consumer/Scams/Lotteries.htm
Craig,
Thanks for your reply, I was a bit concerned about the possibility of identity theft as I (so so stupidly) gave my name, address and age, but hopefully this isn’t enough information?
Michelle
Hi I received two letters and i wish someone wants to catch the bastards. It gives poor people hope and it is awfull. I received two letters one from template4s and one from sealant lottery which is also a scam.
Come on interpol nail these people
I came across this site from a microsoft reply. I was sent one of the “Microsoft Lottery” phishing scam email messages, which I recognized immediately. I found it to be amazing that I had won a lottery, and yet NEVER purchased a ticket or entered the contest! The saddest part of all is that the people responsible for this ARE making money from their efforts to defraud, or they would stop.Lord, what a world!!
You can tell if they’re fake by the “Recieved From” bit of the e-mail. Why would Microsoft use aim to deliver messages? 😛 … u probs already knew that, but it’s a useful tip 😛
If you call the number, you are able to speak to ‘frank John’ ‘Evan Plain’ and I cannot understand why they are not arrested?
HI, I have about 3 or 4 of theses scams every day
some are lottery ones, others are people who are dieing and have got no family and want to leave their millions to me.
Do not fall for any of these scams, whos really going to leave you millions in there will.
I DO FEEL SORRY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REPLY TO THESE PEOPLE AS THEY MUST BE REALLY DESPERATE.
Dont ever answer emails that are to good to be true, Just think first.
Janie.
Everybody becarefull
This website (LOOPY LOTTERY)CAME THROUGH MY EMAIL BUT WHEN I IMFORMED THEM THAT BEFORE I SEND THEM MY BANK INFORMATION OR MY PERSONAL IMFORMATION I WAS GOING TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH MY ATTORNEY I NEVER GOT A RESPONSE BACK NOMORE EMAILS FROM THEM OR NOTHING ELSE,THESE TYPE OF SCAMS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY THE F.B.I BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MY LOSE MONEY THEY DONT HAVE
Why dont we see this evan plain arested—or traced-
aht does it help for the public to leave a comment- and yet-he is stil very busy-with his evil fraud and crime doings-
we here in South Afriaca- has worked very very hard-and the circle is getting closer;and the rope shorter-
Everybody should work so hard to stop all he.s sindicates-and stop this; Takig money rom people.
He should now bw locked up-we are not going to let up now- this man ahs done a lot off ahrm-
STOP HIM NOW_
We know it could be done-
He is big time bsy in South Africa—
What is going to protect him and he knows it;
marie
Gaga Gougou this is what I feel for people who respond to these scam artists… I was a gaga gougou too once and got robbed it was few years ago when the internet was new and still innocent. Why they don’t catch them, because usually they are very sneaky and very suspicious..
Have a very great day. This is a great way to get comments approved and solicit interaction.