Sometimes (ok, always) spammers are dumber than a bag of wet mice. I received this one today and I am amazed that this would work on someone. The card number (expunged) that was in the email (yes, they emailed my alleged Master Card number) was not mine. No surprise there. I can fully understand where greed could kick in and people fall victim to this sort of nonsense but, sweet merciful crap, c’mon. The “prize” amount is six and half million pounds? Right….that’s realistic.
Now, some notes for the uninitiated who might be reading.
- Credit card companies will NEVER send you an email like this
- The “prize” claim office contact email is a free webmail account ( a ha! a clue! )
- Who in their right mind would think that they had won that much money from a contest they never entered???
- Another clue…I don’t use Microsoft’s “Internet Software”
- And my fav…the spelling mistakes in the email. I’m pretty sure that Microsoft and/or Master Card know how to use spell check. Call is a hunch.
Too often people get suckered by emails much like this one. Please, exercise some common sense and realize that old cliche holds true. If it’s too good to be true…it probably is.
Now for your amusement…the spam.
masterCard® / Microsoft® INTERNATIONAL MEGA JACKPOT
Bradford City Centre Branch
****************, West Yorkshire
MICROSOFT OFFICE, UNITED KINGDOM
DIRECTOR; Mr. Ashley *******. Jr.Phone 1:+44***********
Phone 2: +44***********MasterCard® / Microsoft® INTERNATIONAL MEGA JACKPOT UK. TABLE OF REWARD.
MasterCard® No: **** **** ****
Reg. No. Master/micro: 5148/4178
Ballot winning No: 6782This email address has brought you an unexpected luck, please read throug this message. Your e-mail address was selected and confirmed by our co-sponsor Microsoft International, through their latest internet software. You are therefore been approved by MasterCard Int. /Microsoft UK the sum of£6,600,000.00 (SIX MILLION, SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS).Equivalent to
$11,064,000 USD. (Eleven Million, sixty four thousand US Dollars). In cash, Credited to MasterCard No. **** **** ****, and With Reg. No. MCIMJ:5148/4178, you are the sixth lucky winner of the total winners of 10 take note.You all won £6.6, million Pounds each. Be informed that your prize (MasterCardNo: **** **** ****) has been insured and ready for pay out. Contact your claims administrator for further instructions, MasterCard® / Microsoft® Claims Administrator
Name: MR.WILLS BRAIN
E-mail:xxxxx@xxxxxxxAgain for your information, all the 10 participants were selected through the Microsoft computer ballot system (MCBS) drawn from each continent and from each ISP, by the most powerful Microsoft Software Incorporation, as part of our International “E-MAIL” Promotions Program, to promote the use of MasterCard?s and the use of Microsoft Offices all over the World. Further more, to promote the use of online payments, for the settlement of debts (taxes) and payment of bills. Your funds £6.6, million pounds, has been lodge in this MasterCard (**** **** ****), insured and ready for payment.All you have to do is provide the necessary information, to process your MasterCard Certificate and to upgrade our up coming WEBS
And here is the originating point for this spammer
inetnum: 81.199.60.0 – 81.199.61.255
netname: GilatSatcom-13
descr: Gilat Satcom Range
country: IL
admin-c: TECH6-RIPE
tech-c: TECH6-RIPE
status: ASSIGNED PA “status:” definitions
mnt-by: AS12491-MNT
mnt-lower: AS12491-MNT
source: RIPE # Filteredperson: Tech IP Planet
address: 21 Yegia Kapaim St.
address: Petach-Tikva
address: Israel
phone: +972 3 9255015
fax-no: +972 3 9217938
abuse-mailbox: abuse@gilat.net
nic-hdl: TECH6-RIPE
mnt-by: AS12491-MNT
source: RIPE # Filtered% Information related to ‘81.199.60.0/23AS12491’
route: 81.199.60.0/23
descr: Gilat Satcom
origin: AS12491
mnt-by: AS12491-MNT
mnt-routes: AS12491-MNT
source: RIPE # Filtered% Information related to ‘81.199.48.0/20AS12491’
route: 81.199.48.0/20
descr: Gilat Satcom IPPlanet network
origin: AS12491
mnt-by: AS12491-MNT
mnt-routes: AS12491-MNT
source: RIPE # Filtered
Your proxy didn’t work fellows.
[tags]Spam, Phishing, Fraud[/tags]