Scambusters, Preventing Internet Scams & Phishing Attempts

This blog is dedicated to help preventing internet fraud and internet scams. Scambusters was a radio show I started in Albany Oregon, but due to defaulted payment by the radio station we took the show offline. Regardless of this issue we still wish to help prevent internet fraud and save people from internet loss. I have been interviewed and featured in various publications such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times & Daily News, The London Times & AARP Newsletters. Please watch this blog for latest tips and tricks and scams to avoid.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Twist on Yahoo & Microsoft Email Lottery Scam

What worries me more about this twist on one of the older web scams is the email / domain goes back to someone in the USA. The owner of the email / site is

Domain Name.......... micro-xp-promo.com
Creation Date........ 2008-02-04
Registration Date.... 2008-02-04
Expiry Date.......... 2009-02-04
Organisation Name.... Isak Lamberg
Organisation Address. 175 Willis Avenue, apt 16A
Organisation Address.
Organisation Address. Bronx
Organisation Address. 10454
Organisation Address. NY
Organisation Address. UNITED STATES


The email award scam I think is the oldest known scam, been around forever with many twists. The rule is simple, not now, not ever, not in a billion years will Microsoft and/or Yahoo or other company give away money in this fashion. They don't have lotteries, they don't have prizes like this.

Avoid this email scam at all cost. You will lose money, no doubt, 100% of the time they will ask you for money for taxes or transfer fees etc.. and you wire the money and lose your money. This one even invites you to fly to the UK to get your money… sad.

---------scam email below----

Yahoo&Microsoft Lottery Incorporation
7 Prauge Palace.Brixton Hill
London SWZ SED.
REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L
Batch: Mcs/989/989/#34


The prestigious Microsoft and Yahoo has set out and successfully organized a Sweepstakes marking the new year 2008 anniversary, we rolled out over 4,500,000.00 (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds) for our end of year the Anniversary Draws. Participants for the draws were randomly selected and drawn from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy their patronage.

You have been approved for lump sums pay out of ?450,000.00 GBP (Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pounds Sterling) in cash Credited to file REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning number 23-76-06-54-42-100. Selection process was carried out through random selection in our computerized email selection machine (TOPAZ) from a database of over 1,000,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world.

The online draws was conducted by a random selection of email addresses from an exclusive list of 29,031 E-mail addresses of individuals and corporate bodies picked by an advanced automated random computer search from the internet. No tickets were sold but all email addresses were assigned to different ticket numbers for representation and privacy. This is to encourage our prominent Microsoft Internet Explorer users all over the world, and for the Continuous use of E-mail.

Your fund (Certified Cashiers Cheque) has been insured with your REF NO: MSW/56B-672GH/L and winning number 23-76-06-54-42-100. To claim your winning prize, you must first contact the claims department by email for Processing and remittance of your prize to you.

Mr. Andreas Georgetown.
Email: ag.andreas@micro-xp-promo.com
Foreign Transfer Manager.
Yahoo&Microsoft Lottery Incorporation

You are advised to contact your Foreign Transfer Manager with the following details to avoid unnecessary delays and

complications:

VERIFICATION AND FUNDS RELEASE FORM.

1. FULL NAMES:
2. ADDRESS:
3. SEX:
4. AGE:
5. MARITAL STATUS:
6. OCCUPATION:
7. COMPANY NAME:
8. E-MAIL ADDRESS:
9. TELEPHONE NUMBER:
10.STATE:
11.COUNTRY:
12.YOUR PREFERRED METHOD OF RECEIVING YOUR PRIZE (From Below)


Mode Of Prize Remittance.

(1) Cash Pick-Up (You coming Down to United Kingdom Personally to Pick Your Prize).

(2) Courier Delivery Of your Certified Winning Cheque Name and other Winning Documents safely to you.


NOTE: Do not tell people about your Prize Award until your Prize is successfully handed over to you to avoid disqualification

that may arise from double claim.


Congratulations.

Halam Scott
ONLINE CO-ORDINATOR.

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