Here is an award letter claiming to be from Microsoft but in fact is just a scam designed to steal your identity.
Do not respond to this email if you receive one – it is a complete scam and I post it below to make you aware only!
We are pleased to inform you that as a result of our recent lottery draws held this Year 2010 and this is your Microsoft Award Letter. Your Name and Email address attached to BATCH NUMBER; and REF NUMBER; which consequently won 2nd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$****
Note: ALL participants in this lottery program have been selected randomly through a computer ballot system drawn from over 20,000 Companies and 30,000,000 individual Names, email addresses from all search engines and web sites. This promotional program takes place every year, and is promoted and sponsored by eminent personalities like the Sultan of Brunei, Bill Gates of Microsoft, Multi Choice, Echina site and other corporate organizations.
This is to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide. For security purpose and clarity, we advise that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.
We look forward to your active participant in our next year US$50 Million slot. Having received the Microsoft Award Letter, you are requested to contact our office below to assist you with your winning and subsequent payments. All winning must be claimed not later than two weeks after the date of this notice. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of addresses do inform our paying bank as soon as possible. Congratulations once more and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
NOTE; YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED IF YOU ARE BELOW 18 YEARS OF AGE.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. Raymond Johnson
FOR FURTHER CONTACTS ON PAYMENTNOTE: YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FILL THE FORM BELOW FOR NOTIFICATION OF YOUR PAYMENT AND ALSO SEND IT TO THE PAYMENT BANK TOGETHER WITH A SCANNED COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT OR DRIVERS LICENSE IMMEDIATELY (VIA EMAIL ATTACHMENT), FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT, SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF THIS TRANSACTION CAN BE CARRIED OUT IN THE NEXT 14 OFFICIAL WORKING DAYS.
All rights reserved. Terms of Service – Guideline.
MICROSOFT AWARD LETTER
from: the desk of the e-mail promotions manager international promotions/prize award department, microsoft corporation world lottery united kingdom.61-70 southampton row bloomsbury london united kingdom wc1b 4ar.
reference no: 875061725/07
batch no: 505649092/188
winning no: pb8701/lprc
winner: no17
electronic email award winning notification award presentation center: united kingdom
dear winner,
microsoft co-operation management worldwide are pleased to inform you that you are a winner of our annual ms-world lottery (mega jackpot lotto programme) conducted on: 25 th of may 2010
your personal e-mail address or company email was attached to this year’s mswll. with serial number 7741137002 drew the lucky numbers 5-13-33-37-42, and consequently won in the first lottery category. you have therefore been approved for lump sums of usd 1,000,000 (usd one million united states dollars) payable in cash credited to file ref no: ilp/hw 875061725/10 this is from total prize money of usd 25,000,000 usd, shared among the twenty-five (25) lucky international winners in first and second category.
all participants were selected from worldwide a computer balloting system through our microsoft computer ballot system drawn from 21,000 names, 3,000 names from each continent (canada, asia, australia, united state, europe, middle east, africa and oceania, as part of international “e-mail” promotions programme, which is conducted annually for our prominent ms -word users all over the world to encourage the use of internet and computers worldwide.
your fund (certified cheque) has been insured with your ref no: ilp/hw-475061725/10 and will be ready for transfer as soon as you contact your claim agent dr smith walker . your e-mail address should be used in all correspondence with your claims officer, please note that, you are to contact your claims officer via email or telephone as we are promoting the use of e-mail. also you have the right to call him to confirm your winnings and government tax payment that is all, as he will provide you with the necessary details on how to claim your prize. as part of our security protocol you are to quote this security code msw/may/xx10 to your claiming agent. this is to prevent scam.
contact your claims agent officer in united kingdom.
name: dr. smith walker
email: smithwalker.fiduciaryagent0002@gmail.com
telephone: +447024046871
note: in order to avoid mistakes, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers and your security code of msw/may/xx10 in all correspondences with your claims officer. do not reply any other mails like this on net, as they are a lot of scam artist out there pretending to be us.you may see mails like this do not reply. do contact your claims officer, dr. smith walker in united kingdom. you will be asked to provide some details and as well let you know the countries of the paying centres and also to enable the office proceed with your winning certificate and file keeping.
congratulations, once more from the entire management and staff of microsoft co-operation to all our lucky winners. thank you for being part of this promotional lottery program. our special thanks and gratitude to all the associates for alleviating poverty round the world.
sincerely.
mrs beth mood
mrs. takiyyah a’ishah
(co-coordintor).
lottery sponsors: chief sponsors;
microsoft corporation uk, microsoft corporation africa,
microsoft corporation usa, microsoft corporation asia
past winners
Today I got it. Free cheese only in a mousetrap.
Microsoft Corporation 35 years was long ago.
MICROSOFT®
(UK. Regional Office)
Microsoft Building, 40
Rycroft, Way, Stopsley
London W85sp.
Attn: Winner No: 03,
Microsoft Corporation wish to notify all online customers as we celebrates the 35th year anniversary 2010; and also to inform you that you have emerged one of the beneficiary
Selected in this ongoing 35th Anniversary Program in conjunction with the Foundation of Software Products (F.P.S.) The Microsoft internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to encourage the users of the Internet and promote computer literacy worldwide.
A Cheque will be issued in your name by Microsoft Corporation Board UK (MCSP), you have therefore won the entire sum of £850, 000, 00(Eight Hundred And Fifty thousand Great British Pounds Sterling) which consequently won in the 2nd category.
Contact: Dr. Arnold Morrison via Email: drarnold_morrison@w.cn
Tel: +447031898918. by Providing Below Information For Validation.
.Residential Address:
.Tel: /Mobile:
.Nationality:/ Country:
.Full Name:
.Age: /Sex:
.Occupation: /Position:
. Option for Payment:
.What is your comment On Microsoft Products?
Note: your award security information (Data File Number: UK/9420X2/68, Ref.Code:0087955827499, Grant Number: MSC/0080648302/07).To file for your claim, please contact your Validating Officer for VALIDATION of your winning prize. Winnings that are not validated within Twenty-nine working days of notification are termed void and invalid.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever choice you want to claim your prize, Precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program are in place. Please be warned!!!
OPTIONS FOR PAYMENT:
*OPTION ONE: VIA COURIER/POST: *OPTION TWO: BANK TO BANK TRANSFER.
The Microsoft Internet E-mail Awards is sponsored by our CEO/Chairman, Bill Gates and a consortium of software promotion companies.
Congratulations from the Staffs & Members of Microsoft Board Commission.
©2010 Microsoft Corporation®
Here is the response I received when I worte back stating my interest!