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Scammers Circulate 2 Different Fake Lottery E-Mails

Security researchers are warning netizens to remain watchful of 2 separate bogus lottery e-mail campaigns that scammers are executing simultaneously. Moneylife.in published this on March 15, 2011.

Posing as communication from Tata Motors, the first scam involves an e-mail, which states that UK's TATA Automobile Company is applauding the recipient for being one among the five winners of TATA MOTOR's Star Prize within the company's 2011 IAPOD (International Awareness Promotion Online Draw) that was held within India. Consequently, the e-mail recipient has become a possessor of the latest Apple iPad2 Wi-Fi + 3G instrument along with USD 750,000 as cash prize, the e-mail adds.

The second scam circulates an e-mail, which purporting to be from BMW, states that BMW Automobiles is applauding the recipient for being one among the ten winners of BMW's Star Prize within the company's 2010 IAP (International Awareness Promotion) that was hosted at Madrid. Consequently, the e-mail recipient is a possessor of a wholly fresh BMW 5 Series motorcar along with Euros 850,000 as cash prize, the e-mail adds.

Incidentally, the first message directs the recipient for e-mailing his financial and private information, while it depicts a copyright for Tata Motors along with a disclaimer.

Sadly, the above mentioned fake e-mails are simply variations of the well-known AFF (Advance Fee Fraud) or Nigerian 419 e-mail scam. Through these e-mails, the scamsters ultimately entice end-users into paying upfront fees so that the bogus lottery prizes can be processed. But, incase anyone responds and makes the payment, he'll likely get more e-mails demanding other payments for "unanticipated expenses," apparently for materializing the prize money and supposedly making it arrive in his address. The demands would continue till the victim is able to perceive the mischief or else becomes a pauper and stops meeting them, explain the researchers.

So hereafter, if someone gets any of the aforementioned fraud e-mails, he must just ignore it and not reply under any circumstance. But, incase anybody has already responded with personal or banking information, then he's recommended that he should inform the Police about the incident so that any possibility of ID-theft is avoided.

Related article: Scammers Exploit Tax System Resulting in ID Theft

» SPAMfighter News - 3/26/2011

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