What's this? It's a suspicious piece of email sent to one of the stealth collection addresses here at purportal.com headquarters. Based on sophisticated analysis (or at least a really strong gut feeling) we've determined it to be totally bogus. Delete on sight. In other words: Yes, the email you got that looks just like this one is fake!
MSN/MICROSOFT AWARDS
2007-05-29
BONUS
WINNING NOTIFICATION DEPT
MSN-AWARD LOTTERY PROGRAMME
United Kingdom, 61-70
Southampton Row
Bloomsbury London WINNER NO 4
United Kingdom WC 1B 4AR.
28th May 2007
Ref: MS-475061723 Batch: 744RT/MSN/UK
We the MSN MICROSOFT MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE are pleased to inform you
Today being the 28th May 2007. That you are among one of the lucky winners
Of our
Annual MSN/MICROSOFT PROMOTION AWARD PROGRAMM conducted in UNITED
KINGDOM on the 28th May 2007.
Your E-mail address is attached to WINNER NO4, with serial number:
7741137002
And drew the lucky numbers: 6-9-11-33-36-49-29, Batch No: 744RT/MSN/UK
Which
Consequently won in the 3rd lottery category you have therefore been
Approved
For lump sums pay of ? 850,000.00 pounds (Eight hundred and fifty
Thousand
Pounds) in cash, credited to file REF NO: MS_475061723
This is from the total prize money of 80,000,000.00 Pounds which is to
Be shared
Among the forty international winners in categories C
All participants in this program were selected randomly through our
MSN/MICROSOFT Computer Ballot System, drawn from 85,000,000.00 internets
Users
>From all search engines your e-mail address was picked by the
Automated
MSN/MICROSOFT Computer Ballot System, which has been programmed for
This random
Selection
This has eventually qualified you for the Winning. This promotional
Program
Takes place annually, and is promoted and sponsored by MSN/MICROSOFT
Companies,
With the support of British/European corporate companies and
Organizations to
Encourage the use of Internet and computers worldwide.
In view of this, your prize 850,000.00 Pounds would be released to you
By Our
Prize Payment Officer (Mr. Michael Hollow). He will immediately
Commence the
Process, to facilitate the release of your lucky won prize as soon as
You
Contact him for the claim of your lucky prize.
You are to keep your ref. number and batch number from the public,
Until you
Have received your cash prize this is part of our security protocol to
Avoid
Double claiming and the act of scamming /hacking people of their ref
Number and
Prizes
You are advised to contact our Prize Processing Officer by means of
Email or
Phone to the below contact info within the hour of reading this winning
Notification
Mr. Terra Culture
Office of the Prize Payment Authority
Prize Processing Officer
MSN-Award Lottery Promotion
Email: terraculture23@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: +44 702 407 4921
When you contact him for payment, supply him with the following details
For the
Issue of your WINNING CERTIFICATE:
(1)Full Name
(2) Country
(3) Date of Birth
(4) Occupation
(5) Home/Mobile Phone
(5) Your International passport or driving license identity to avoid
Impersonation
Note that all prize money must be claimed not later than one month of
Notification all funds not claimed on or before the fixed date will be
Returned
As Unclaimed Prize and donated to The Charity and please be aware that
Our
Paying Authority will Effect Payment Swiftly upon satisfactory Report,
Verifications and validation provided by our prize processing officer.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
Remember to
Quote your reference and batch numbers in all correspondences with our
Payment
Officer
Congratulations, once more from the entire Management and Staffs of
MSN/MICROSOFT COMPANY to all our lucky winners of this year
Robert Montgomery
Chairman of board of directors
Dr. Tom Mohr
President
Dr. Mrs. Hilary Schneider
Lottery Co-coordinator
Mrs. Sue Clark-Johnson
Financial Secretary
Mr. Terra Culture
Prize Processing Officer
Comments
arjun commented, on October 31, 2007:
I think they will misuse our identity by gettin our passport copies and photos...
Never give it.... who knows u may bcme a international criminal without ur knowledge.....
Radhika commented, on December 12, 2007:
I also got the information.. How did u select my email id.. is it true..bcause we are very ordinary persons...hope u wont cheat..
nishant singh commented, on May 19, 2008:
ye chakar kya hai bhai . ye log pagal bana rahi hain kya
szekely romania commented, on June 9, 2008:
i got a mail simylar to this i hope someone get's these fool's so we woun't get in trouble because of them
they sent me some certificates that proove me that i really won but i don't think that's true
how do i get in touch with msn microsoft please tell me i want to send them a letter
Adam commented, on June 17, 2008:
i got one too... at least the unclaimed prize goes to charity!
diego commented, on August 31, 2008:
esto me mandaron a mi:
1 MICROSOFT WAYRedmond, WA 98052.BL4 4PZ, Londres.Ref: 742701AELote: BTD/610/08 Este mensaje de correo electrónico para informarle de que usted surgido unganador con un premio de consolación de Microsoft Corporation EMAIL DRAW.La selección se realizó a través de un sistema de computadoras llamaradjuntando direcciones de correo electrónico personalizadas para losnúmeros de lotes: 409978E y números de referencia: BTD/610/08. Sudirección de correo electrónico como se indica se preparó y se adjunta ala suerte de los números de serie BTD/9080648302/08 que posteriormente leganó £ 1.000.000,00 (un millón de Great British Pound). Para reclamar supremio, por favor llene completamente los detalles y enviar a su agente dereclamaciones Andy Johnson Sr. Nombres completos ...PAÍS ....DIRECCIÓN ....SEXO ....AGE ....OCUPACIÓN ....TELEFONO ....NÚMEROS DE LOTE ....Números de referencia ....CANTIDAD WON ...FECHA .... Por favor, asegúrate de que tu detalles completos deben ser enviados a suoficial de reclamaciones a través de su correo electrónico de contacto seindican a continuaciónRECLAMACIONES agente: Sr Andy JohnsonCorreo electrónico: @ andy.msn1 live.comTel: +44 701 114 0211 Copyright © 1994-2008
Marcelo commented, on September 9, 2008:
Es así una verdadera farsa, Diego yo recibí uno identico hace pocos días y mandé mis datos, espero no tener problemas más adelante porque fui un estúpido realmente, jugaron conmigo y mi familia. Eso es una porquería, Microsoft Arg. confirmó que la empresa no realiza sorteos ni loterías de ningún tipo. Es un fraude no caigan ustedes también.
Pablo commented, on September 16, 2008:
Pero qué Marcelo, nunca te llegó el premio???
Llamaste a los números de teléfono que indican???
watanabe commented, on September 18, 2008:
i got it too well at first i believed it but now i doubt these guys are hackers f..k em up b..t
Sandra commented, on September 25, 2008:
I received one with a hotmail address and signed Rosendale Mary. They will try anything to get your information.
awtreyd commented, on October 23, 2008:
I got one too. Do you really think Microsoft would be giving away all that money? Just on this blog page alone is a ton of money.Get real.
Johnson commented, on November 5, 2008:
I got a similar letter but dated September 2008.
I think these are international thieves.
How can a Doctor like David Brown post his photo just to con people.
NARESH commented, on November 23, 2008:
THIS ALL HAPPENS GOOD FOR A MOMENT . ANY WAY WE ALL OF US BECOMES A MILLINIOR FOR A MOMENT.
DSchroeder commented, on March 24, 2009:
So,how do we initiate a class action suit against these idiots.I wouldn't mind just a piece of the $1.75 million they say that I have won. (1,200,000.00 British Pounds)I could really use it right now,I've been out of work for 14 weeks,ineligible for unemployment compensation,and I just filed for foodstamps.Any lawyers see something concrete to base a suit on.Let me know dschroed@netzero
jaclyn commented, on February 6, 2010:
i too got an email, i played along until the 2nd phrase, but i have my doubts so looking up and going to the courts in the uk to see where email came from...
arjun commented, on October 29, 2007:
its a spam........