- Image by ToastyKen via Flickr
Man, it seems that scammers and phishing protagonists have pulled out all the plugs in an effort to score some dollars before years end. Maybe these lowlifes have a big New Years Party planned and need a little cash to fund it. I just got this one this morning. Apparently my email address won over 475,000 Euros and an Acer laptop, but unfortunately I have to pay for my own courier service delivery. 
Here is the email.
MICROWORD CORPORATIONS:
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
ZARAGOZA ESPAÑA.
REFERENCE NUMBER: MSFT-2008-X54-BX
BATCH NUMBER: MSFT-2008- GM-0001
YOUR MSFT WORD RESOURCE LINK: www.microword.comOFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION.
Welcome to Microword Corporation end of year promotions. We are pleased to
inform you of the released results of Sweepstakes Promotion organized by
Microword Corporations,
in conjunction with the foundation for the promotion of software products,
held this December 27th 2008, here in Zaragoza – Spain.
Where in, your email address emerged as one of the on-line Winning emails, in
the 1st category and therefore attracted a cash award of four hundred and
seven five thousand
Euros (?475,000.00) and Acer laptop.Your Acer laptop, Certificate of winnings and your cheque of ?475,000.00,
Will
be sent to your contact address, as soon as all necessary verification as
been
made, to confirmed
your winnings.
Consequently, lucky winners are to pay for their courier services delivery.
(Microword corporation only provides lucky winners with Acer laptop and the
sum of ?475,000.00 only).
To begin your claims, do file for the release of your winnings by contacting
our MSFT Word Resource Foreign Transfer Manager via mail or by telephone.Mr. Maurice Pascal
Email: mauricepas01@gmail.comThis Email Lottery is sponsored by Microword Corporation, And all the members
of Spanish MSFT Word Resource Consortium Software Promotion Companies.
This Internet E-mail draw is held periodically, And is organized to encourage
the Internet users, And to promote computer literacy worldwide.Congratulations!!
Sincerely,
Sr. Femin Eloy Bermúdez.
Promotions Manager.
Msft Word Resource Zaragosa.
After doing a search I have found that there are versions of this email from as far back as 2005. It seems that the scam artists merely edit it to suit their own needs. The English in this particular version is, if I must say, a little poor. The link in the email appears legit although it’s not unreasonable that the site was developed just to lend credence to the scam although I wouldn’t put it past these vermin to use an honest site to front their scam.
Anyway, it’s an obvious phishing attempt and should be completely disregarded.
Don’t forget to join Cool Blog Links and increase your Blog’s exposure.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=552d33c4-33cb-45f8-b896-50e19826ac4b)
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
If I had truly won all the lotteries and competitions as claimed I would be a multi millionaire. I work on the basis if I didn’t buy a ticket or have one allocated, how could I win?
Actually Pete, my dad reckons that he wins every week! He doesn’t buy a ticket so he figured the money saved are his winnings. Makes some sense.
what the international legal actions have been taken ocver such scammers?
I think when they are caught they are persecuted, the thing is catching them.
Well, you got gyped!
I would get 750,000 euros and a Toshiba laptop. :>)
Sean
I only won €200,000. Now I really feel ripped off LOL
I actually spoke with an Eric….I recieved the email the other day. So what I did I called and I spoke with him. I told him ” why won’t you just take the money out of my cheuque and send me my winnings. He said “They don’t know me” I replied back ” I don’t know you either”…. I also told him “You all contacted me I didn’t contact you. From there he went on to say that “People in Europe know about Microword” (all the while he kept slipping up and saying Microsoft).
Here’s the number if you want it His name is Eric Manfred and the number used is (Edited Out)
I want to catch these people anyway I can. Times are hard and you don’t play with peoples emotions like this….Everybody can use some extra cash.
Sorry, I had to edit that number out as it could have belonged to anybody.
I’ve received same kind of e-mail, during this times of credit crisis, some people will attend, because they could use the extra cash.
They should track these people and take them for all they have.
This is the email:
YOUR EMAIL ID HAVE WON.MICRO WORD.COM CORPORATIONS,CUSTOMER SERVICE:MADRID SPAIN/ESPANA.APARTADO DE CORREOS 48, 28230 las Rozas,REFERENCE NO: MSFT-2008-X74-RSBATCH NO: MSFT-2008- GM-0221 OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION. Welcome to Microword.com Corporation end of year promotions, We are pleased to inform you of the released results of Sweepstakes Promotion organized by Microword.com Corporations, in conjunction with the foundation for the Promotion of software products, held this FEB 21th 2009, here in Madrid-Spain. Your email address emerged as one of the on-line Winning emails, in the 1st category and therefore You have been approved for a cash award 200,000.00Euros (TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND EURO) this is from a total cash prize of TWO MILLION EUROS Shared among the ten International winners in the 1st category. To begin your claim, do file for the release of your winning by contacting our Accredited agent: Foreign Transfer Manager MICRO WORD.COM CORPORATIONS.Mr. Eric Manfred.TEL: +34 -634-059-412 emails edited out NOTE: All winnings must be notarized to complete the claim process, This Email Lottery is sponsored by Microword.com Corporation, And all the members of Spanish MSFT Word Resource Consortium Software Promotion Companies. Remember your winning must be claimed not later than (07-03-09) after this date funds might be returned to the MICRO WORD RESOURCE MADRID This internet E-mail draw is held periodically, And is organized to encourage the use of the Internet users, And to promote computer literacy worldwide. Congratulations!!! Sincerely,Mrs. Roselyn Bermudez.Promotions Manager.
It’s obviously a version of the one I have posted and I think it is safe to assume that many more different versions exist. I am glad that you did not fall for it.
Haha, you all got nothing but the change in their pockets! I just got a e-mail saying I won 1500000 Euro and a Compaq laptop. Sure wish this was for real…
I received an e-mail as well. I’ll be forwarding the e-mail to boston@fbi.gov. is hopes that if they receive enough e-mail regarding these scams they’ll be able to begin investigating.
Great idea Dave, perhaps you could drop by and let us know if you get a response from them.
We all could be rich if…
I also got an email, i won 477.00 euro’s. I send an email back what i must do, I mailed my phonenumber and they called me!! Also an Eric i believe, sayed that i had to pay for transfering. I said to him WHY?? He said that the money could not be transfered to my bankaccount. I also told him, take it of my winnings and transfer the rest, and so on, and so on,…….and then he talked fast by saying, I call you back later…and hang up. I looked at the time and saw that i spook to him nearly 5 minutes. I think that i would cost them to much to talk to me anymore. He never called me back. Case closed.