Avoid getting scammed by fake "SKY LOTTO" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of email is "SKY LOTTO"?
After reading the "SKY LOTTO" email, we determined that it is spam promoting a lottery-type scam. This mail falsely claims that the recipient has been randomly selected as a winner of a lottery. The purpose of this phishing email is to collect personally identifiable information by tricking users into disclosing it.
"SKY LOTTO" email scam overview
The spam email with the subject "CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON" (may vary) states that the recipient has been randomly selected as one of twenty-five winners of a yearly lottery. The supposed prize is 800,000 USD.
This bogus lottery collects emails and selects winners in a randomized manner; hence, no application is necessary. The winner must contact the claims agent within 20 days of the "Draw Notification date"; otherwise, the winnings will be forfeited. The recipient is also told not to disclose that they have won before actually receiving the prize.
It must be emphasized that all the information provided in this email is false, and this mail is not associated with any legitimate lotteries or other entities.
"SKY LOTTO" scam email targets the following data: full name, birthdate, nationality, occupation, address, and telephone number. Private information of this kind can be used for a variety of malicious activities, including identity theft.
It is pertinent to mention that the scammers behind this spam mail may also target other data (such as banking details, credit card numbers, etc.) or seek to trick victims into sending them money. Cyber criminals can claim that the latter is necessary for paying taxes, transaction fees, or similar.
Money is usually obtained by relying on difficult-to-trace methods (e.g., cryptocurrencies, gift cards, cash hidden in packages and shipped, etc.); thus, chances of prosecution are lowered, and the ability of victims to retrieve their funds is virtually nonexistent.
In summary, by trusting an email like "SKY LOTTO" – users can experience severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.
If you have already disclosed your private data to scammers (e.g., ID card details, passport photos/scans, credit card numbers, etc.) – contact the appropriate authorities without delay.
| Name | "SKY LOTTO" phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipient has been selected as a winner of a $800,000 lottery prize. |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Phishing spam campaign examples
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Aside from personally identifiable information, these letters commonly target finance-related data and log-in credentials for various accounts (e.g., emails, social media, e-commerce, online banking, cryptowallets, etc.). However, spam mail is used to promote other scams as well, and it is utilized in malware distribution.
Due to how prevalent this mail is and how well-made it can be – we highly recommend being careful with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns proliferate malware by distributing malicious files as attachments or download links. These files can be documents (PDF, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, etc.), archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth.
The malware downloads/installation chain is triggered once a virulent file is opened. However, some formats require additional interaction to jumpstart system infection processes. For example, Microsoft Office files need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents require them to click embedded links or files.
How to avoid installation of malware?
It is crucial to treat incoming emails and other messages with caution. Attachments or links found in dubious/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be harmful or infectious.
However, malware is not spread exclusively through spam mail. Therefore, we advise vigilance while browsing, as fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears genuine and innocuous.
Another recommendation is to download only from official and trustworthy channels. Additionally, all programs must be activated and updated using functions/tools provided by legitimate developers, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updaters may contain malware.
It is essential for device/user safety to have a reputable anti-virus installed and kept updated. This software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove threats and issues. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "SKY LOTTO" spam email letter:
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON
SKY LOTTO.
REF NO: 22-13-78-NLSKL
BATCH NO: 2-02-05-SKL
BONUS NOS:02.450.28.21.3
Dear Internet User.
We are happy to inform you that you have Won $800,000( Eight Hundred Thousand Us Dollars Only ) for the month of May 2024 Lottery Win promotion which was organized by ONLINE LOTTERY every year and sponsored /promoted by SKY LOTTO.
ONLINE LOTTERY, collects all the e mail addresses of they people online and among the millions that logon to the internet, We only selected Twenty Five people every year as our winners through electronic balloting System without the winner applying, we are congratulating you for having been one of the people selected.
We ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your money (800,000)Eight Hundred Thousand Us Dollars Only)has been fully remitted to you by our accredited pay-point bank.
This measure must be adhere to avoid loss of your cash prize, winners of our cash prizes are advised to adhere to these instructions to forestall the abuse of this program by other participants.
PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM INSTRUCTION BELOW,
You are to contact your Claims Agent on or before your date of Claim, Winners Shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement Center.
ONLINE LOTTERY Prize must be claimed no later than 20 days from date of Draw Notification date in which Prize has won. Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.
These are your identification
REF NO: 22-13-78-NLSKL
BATCH NO: 2-02-05-SKL
BONUS NOS:02.450.28.21.3
SAL NO:2004-02-NLSKL
TICKET NO:002-083-2-NLSKL
These numbers are your winning identification numbers, that you will send to your claims agent e mail below,
Claim Agent Details Below:
Mr. Norman Ko
EMAIL: office_dept@minister.com
EMAIL: office_dept@minister.com
For identification and further instructions.
You are therefore advise to also send the following information to the Claims Agent above e mail to facilitate and process the transfer of your fund.
1.Full Name:
2.Contact Address:
3.Direct Telephone Numbers:
4.Occupation:
5.Date of Birth:
6.Nationality:
7. Age
Congratulations!! Once more.
Yours in service,
Mrs. Victoria Compton
mrsjanetlouiseyellen3@gmail.com
Appearance of the "SKY LOTTO" spam email (GIF):
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Quick menu:
- What is "SKY LOTTO" phishing email?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did I receive this email?
Spam emails are not personal, even if they include details relevant to the recipients. Cyber criminals distribute this mail in large-scale operations – hence, thousands of users receive identical emails.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have disclosed personally identifiable or finance-related information (e.g., passport photos/scans, ID card details, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact the corresponding authorities. And if you've provided your account credentials – change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Reading an email poses no infection threat; devices are compromised when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
Whether an infection occurred might depend on the format of the opened file. If it was an executable – most likely, yes – since these formats cause infections almost without fail. However, you might have avoided compromising your device if it was a document (.doc, .xls, .one, .pdf, etc.). These formats may require additional actions to start downloading/installing malware (e.g., enabling macros, clicking embedded content, etc.).
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is designed to scan computers and eliminate all manner of threats. It is capable of detecting and removing almost all known malware infections. Keep in mind that performing a full system scan is paramount since high-end malicious programs usually hide deep within systems.
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