Security Experts Warn: Microsoft Lottery Scam Emails Spammed Out

Examiner.com reported on 24th October, 2013 quoting a warning by security experts on 23rd October as "emails purporting to be from Microsoft lottery were sent out."

The spammed emails were entitled: "Microsoft Online Email Award" and read as follows: 'We (Microsoft lottery) are thrilled to declare that your email id has just won a whopping sum of 2.5 Mn British Pounds in our (referring to Microsoft) email free Online draws carried out in England in September 2013. Your email id triumphed in group A and you are permitted to prize of sum of 2.5 Mn British Pounds by this complimentary Ticket Numbers: RWR658214 and fortunate Winning Numbers of GB824177L.'

The email gives a contact phone number and email id. The e-mail address given for contact is poles apart from that employed to send the e-mail. Security experts highlighted that in this meticulous case, the e-mails come from an IP domain in Thailand although the made-up contact was based in UK.

But, the e-mail is not from Microsoft Lottery (as mentioned in the email) nor it is a justifiable lottery email notification. Actually, the assured prize (2.5 Million British Pounds in this case) is nothing in excess of the temptation to hook ill fated Internauts into sending their money and personal details to cybercriminals. Those who fall to this trap will soon be told to send advance fees apparently required to permit the release of fantasy "winnings".

The crooks will assert that these upfront fees are essential to meet such expenses like transfer taxes, insurance, or bank fees and they will claim that the fees cannot be subtracted from the award money under any circumstances.

Analyzing the ongoing email scam, security experts outline the following security tips which can help you not to fall for such fake lottery scams. They include: firstly, you cannot win a legitimate lottery if you have not entered it and secondly a sense of rush or a closing date requires immediate action.

Anyone who has lost money to a Microsoft Lottery fraud can report to Police. Microsoft wants to know when the crime has happened and asks victims to email their name at lotfraud@microsoft.com.

» SPAMfighter News - 11/8/2013