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 "Ricky Williams" at "Microsoft Corporations" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Steve Creek" 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 Corporations".
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.
Microsoft Corporations:
Customer Service
Wrights Lane,
Kensington London W85SP,
England UNITED KINGDOMFILE REF: HL/5564/06/07/MICS
BATCH: MC11/834/5PDH /EU
OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION.
It is obvious that this notification will come to you as a surprise 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 this march 2008,in London UK.
Where in your email address emerged as one of the online Winning emails in the 2nd category and therefore attracted a cash award of £350.000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand pounds sterling) Our winners are arranged into four categories with different winning prizes accordingly in each category. They are arranged in this format below:
These are your identification numbers:MCS-26799/097
CATEGORY NO.OF WINNERS WINNING PRIZES
1st. 2 £ 500,000.00 pounds each
2nd. 8 £ 350.000.00 pounds each
3rd. 13 £ 250,000.00 pounds each
4th. 27 £ 170,000.00 pounds each
We 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 56/7766
(2) Email ticket numbers: EAASL-130877
(3) Batch numbers: MC11/834/8PDH /EU
(4) The file reference numbers: HL/5574/41/07/MICS {5} Serial Numbers: McST/006/NL46560 For verification purpose be sure to include:
(1) Your contact address.
(2) Your Tel/Fax numbers.
(3) Your Nationality/Country.
{4} Your Full Names.
(5) Occupation./age
(6) Your Preffered Method Of Receiving Your Price(From Below) Mode Of Price Remittance.
(1)Cash Pick-Up (You coming Down to Uk Personally to Pick Your Price).
(2)Courier Delivery Of your Certified Winning Cheque Name and other Winning Documents safely to you.
To 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:
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FOREIGN TRANSFER MANAGER
MR.STEVE CREEK
MICROSOFT SECURITY DEPARTMENT (UK).
E-mail: mr.stevecreek@yahoo.co.uk
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The Microsoft Internet E-mail lottery Awards is sponsored by our CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates 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!
Sincerely,
MR. RICKY WILLIAMS.
M.S.PRO. ZONAL COORDINATOR.
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