Skype Lottery Scam

This was just received in my skype text box. Beware everybody, and old trick to try and gain your personal info, to wipe out your bank balances !!!!!
Regards, David

SKYPE LOTTERY ORGANISATION LONDON
PROMOTIONS PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
REF NO:BHS/65321
BATCH NO:00985231GP


This is to inform you of the release of the skype ID LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL held on the 19th October,2008.
Due the mix up of numbers, the results were released on November 20th, 2008. Your skype ID was attached to ticketnumber:00348713543976 with serial number BHS/763411118390 draw with lucky numbers 66-22-39-40-45-(20) .Subsequently you won the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. skype Thunder Ballot Jackpot. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of £450,000.00 (Four Hundred and fifty thousand POUND STERLING ).

Due to mix up of some Skype ID and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until yourclaim has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.

All participants were selected through computer skype ballot system drawn from over 23,000 company and 10,000,000 individual skype ID user from all over the world.To collect your prize winner, please contact Skype Agent below that has been assigned for the processing
of your claims with the email address below or Tell phone Number: Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.

Skype Fudiciary Agent: Mr. Larry Stinson
Phone:+447031740915
Fax:+447024061692
Email: [email protected]

Kindly provide him with Claims processing Requirements Below:

Name______________________________________
Address___________________________________
Nationality_______________________________
Age_______________________________________
Occupation________________________________
Phone/Fax_________________________________
PresentCountry_____________________________
MaritalStatus_____________________________
Gender_____________________________________
Amount Won_________________________________
Date of Notification_______________________
Winning skype ID______________________
Your international passport copy_________

All winning must be claimed not later than 17 days of receiving this notification. After this date all unclaimed,funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your REF NUMBER and BATCH NUMBER in all correspondence to our claims Officer.

Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our Claims Officer as soon as possible.Anybody under the age of 16 is automatically disqualified.


You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the particulars presented below citing the batch and reference numbers to this letter between the hours of 8.00am - 6.00pm on Monday through Friday. Please note This lottery was promoted and sponsored by a group of successful electronic dealers in partnership with skype corporation.

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of Confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.

(Please note that all winning payment will be paid by First National trust bank after you’re winning has being fully processed and approved)

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Niklas Zennstrom and Mr. Janus Friis
co-coordinators skype Lottery.[/b]

Yes ... I too recieved a similar letter while in chat, Here is my copy ...

SKYPE LOTTERY ORGANISATION LONDON
PROMOTIONS PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT.
REF NO:BHS/65321
BATCH NO:00985231GP


This is to inform you of the release of the skype ID LOTTERY BALLOT INTERNATIONAL held on the 19th October,2008.
Due the mix up of numbers, the results were released on November 20th, 2008. Your skype ID was attached to ticketnumber:00348713543976 with serial number BHS/763411118390 draw with lucky numbers 66-22-39-40-45-(20) .Subsequently you won the lottery in the 2nd category i.e. skype Thunder Ballot Jackpot. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum payout of £450,000.00 (Four Hundred and fifty thousand POUND STERLING ).

Due to mix up of some Skype ID and names, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until yourclaim has been processed and your money remitted to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants.

All participants were selected through computer skype ballot system drawn from over 23,000 company and 10,000,000 individual skype ID user from all over the world.To collect your prize winner, please contact Skype Agent below that has been assigned for the processing
of your claims with the email address below or Tell phone Number: Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.

Skype Fudiciary Agent: Mr. Larry Stinson
Phone:+447031740915
Fax:+447024061692
Email: [email protected]

Kindly provide him with Claims processing Requirements Below:

Name______________________________________
Address___________________________________
Nationality_______________________________
Age_______________________________________
Occupation________________________________
Phone/Fax_________________________________
PresentCountry_____________________________
MaritalStatus_____________________________
Gender_____________________________________
Amount Won_________________________________
Date of Notification_______________________
Winning skype ID______________________
Your international passport copy_________

All winning must be claimed not later than 17 days of receiving this notification. After this date all unclaimed,funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your REF NUMBER and BATCH NUMBER in all correspondence to our claims Officer.

Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our Claims Officer as soon as possible.Anybody under the age of 16 is automatically disqualified.


You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the particulars presented below citing the batch and reference numbers to this letter between the hours of 8.00am - 6.00pm on Monday through Friday. Please note This lottery was promoted and sponsored by a group of successful electronic dealers in partnership with skype corporation.

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of Confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.

(Please note that all winning payment will be paid by First National trust bank after you’re winning has being fully processed and approved)

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Niklas Zennstrom and Mr. Janus Friis
co-coordinators skype Lottery.

Thank you to both of you for posting, lets hope anybody who may think it is legitimate does a quick search before sending any money.

Feel free to post any more that you have

Unfortunately, it is not money they are looking for here I think.
Me thinks it is identification details, for perhaps false passports, bodgey bank accounts etc.
Anyway, here's hoping no one falls for it. Pretty low, especially in depressed economic times ?
Be wary all, and Merry Xmas

What makes you think that David?

This looks like a pretty standard lottery scam, you will need to pay for admin, bank fees, or maybe even insurance purposes. You will be required to send it through an instant - and untracable - money transfer company.

Whilst they may reuse the information you provide, it's not done very often. There are thousands of pasport scans online, and most of the info they are asking for can also be gleamed from the internet. It is usual asked for so they seem more offical. They sometimes put your details on a fake certificate or cheque, both of which will probably need to be stamped or notarised (more fees).

Anyway, I'm glad you guys didn't fall for this one, please keep that vigilant eye on the lookout and post any new scam formats you recieve.

I just got one some minutes ago, here is the format:

NATIONAL LOTTERY
12 BRIDGE STREET,
STAINES MIDDLESEX WT18 4TWP UK
REF NUMBER: OSLO/643/029/03
BATCH NUMBER: AT-040-SB36-03
WINNING NOTIFICATION: WINNER NO 05

DEAR SIR/MADAM,
We are pleased to inform you that as a result of our Lottery draws held
on the 22th DECEMBER 2008
Your Skype address attached to ticket number 125-234-358-96-712 with
serial number 342-442 drew lucky numbers 4-12-38-23-61-43 which
consequently won in the 2nd category. you have therefore been approved for a
lump sum payout of 565,750.00 GBP. {FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE THOUSAND,SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY BRITISH POUNDS} note that all participants in
this lottery program have been selected randomly through a computer
ballot system drawn from over 20,000 companies and 30,000,000 individuals
email addresses from all search engines and web sites.
This promotional program takes place every year.
This lottery program is promoted and sponsored by personalities and
organizations that are concerned about human welfare.We therefore tender
all appreciations to -- skype, Yahoo Mail , Hot mail ,Google,
Microsoft incorporated,Coca cola, The world health organization and
other corporate organizations.
This lottery promotion is to encourage the use of the internet and
computers worldwide.
For security purposes and clarity, we advise that you keep your winning
information confidential until your claims have been processed and
your money remitted to your account . This is part of our security
protocol to avoid double claims and unwarranted abuse of this pro gramme by
some participants.
You are requested to contact our clearance officer below to assist you with your
winnings and subsequent payments. all winnings must be claimed not
later than one month After the date of this notice.Please note, in order to
avoid unnecessary delays and complications,remember to quote your
number and batch numbers in all correspondence.
Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent
as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more and thank you for being part of our
promotional programme.
NOTE- YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED IF YOU ARE BELOW 18 YEARS OF AGE.
For more details contact Mr. Gerald Billington your lottery
coordinator. His contact informations are below:
[email protected]
+447024076862
+447024079602
Sincerely yours,
FRANK PAUL
Secretary

Hi Marie, welcome to Scamwarners.

Thank you for podting that scam format for other to find, your actions have the potential of saving people from being scammed.

I haven't done so myself but you could try an exact search on the winning ticket number, I haven't found one yet that hasn't come up in scam related search results.

@David, as suggested, the primary reason for scammers to send the email is to gather your money and not your details, sure, scammers may use your details for identity fraud, but that would be secondary to stealing your money and realisticaly not all that common for the Africans in comparison to the garden variety advanced fee fraud

Just because i couldn't help myself, I did a search on the ticket number and it doesn't come up yet, never mind, it soon will http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=g ... -96-712%22