Microsoft and Yahoo have announced a plan to join Western Union and the African Development Bank to raise global awareness about lottery scam emails.
It's not a joke. According to a European survey, one in 44 people say they have lost money in online scams.
The bulk-emailed messages purport to inform recipients of "international lottery winnings," offering those who reply further instructions for collecting the nonexistent sums, usually in the form of a request for an "advance fee" to secure their "release."
The companies taking part in the educational coalition cited concerns over the negative impact of fraudulent activities on Internet commerce. More than half of users surveyed said scam emails have made them more reluctant to buy goods on the Internet.
Read more: Microsoft, Yahoo, Western Union and African Development Bank Announce Coalition to Combat Internet Lottery Scams
It's not a joke. According to a European survey, one in 44 people say they have lost money in online scams.
The bulk-emailed messages purport to inform recipients of "international lottery winnings," offering those who reply further instructions for collecting the nonexistent sums, usually in the form of a request for an "advance fee" to secure their "release."
The companies taking part in the educational coalition cited concerns over the negative impact of fraudulent activities on Internet commerce. More than half of users surveyed said scam emails have made them more reluctant to buy goods on the Internet.
Read more: Microsoft, Yahoo, Western Union and African Development Bank Announce Coalition to Combat Internet Lottery Scams
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