Whatsapp Scam: Promo Awards Prize Winner

It’s been quite some time this idiotic phishing scam attempt has been frantically circulating the Internet. The idea is that the stupid fraudster will try to convince you that you won a large sum of money as a prize from a lottery run by some big online platform. I first bumped into it a bit more than a year ago, when they contacted me as representatives of an alleged Viber International Ballot Award Program. Then, I carried out this prank against them, trying to collect some of their real personal details. This time, the same foolish try was aimed at me, allegedly coming from WhatsApp this time. I decided to have some more fun with them.

I received an email from the address [email protected], and from the name Rehman, saying the following bullshit:

Congrats!!!,Your mobile number has been selected as the winner of seven hundred thousand dollars in the international ballot award program. Send your winning to email: [email protected] for more details on how to claim your funds. What is it?
Scammer

That my number was selected, but I received the notification in an unrelated email address, instead, seems to be a minor detail by their logic. I title an email Ballot Award Program, and wrote the following to the address above.

Wow, $700.000? That’s amazing. Yes, sure, I want to claim my prize. How will I get it?
I

And, in a crudely amateurish attempt to imitate a professional email template, they answer asap…

WhatsApp Inc.
1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, California 94025
United States of America
We deeply congratulate you once again for winning the *WhatsApp* International balloting award program.

Your Mobile Number has been selected among the five lucky winners of the program, for Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars.
This is a reward program for the patronage of internet services, all participants were selected randomly from worldwide mobile number Directories, and your mobile number appears on the machine as the winner of the 2020
yearly promotional Award Prize of Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000.00)

Full Name:.
Country:.
Contact Mobile Number:.
Nationality:..
Address:.
Age:.
Sex:.
Marital Status:..
Occupation:.
Above is the required information for the processing of your winning, please fill the required information and return it back for verification and payment of your won prize fund. Please provide the required information as soon as possible to enable the paying bank process and commence your payment before the last remittance date.
Best Regard,
WhatsApp Inc.
1601 Willow Road
Menlo Park, California 94025
US
Scammers

And I provide them with what they need:

Wow, amazing, guys, I cannot believe my luck. I’m so thankful. Here is all you need:

Name: Deejay Joker
Country: Norway
Mobile Nr: +47********
Nationality: Norwegian
Age: 18
Sex: male
Marital Status: in a relationship but available for hookups
Occupation: rapper/music producer/pimp

Looking forward to hearing from you.
I

Then they get back to me from a different address ([email protected]) with an email titled INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM, accompanied by some dumb certificate photo of sorts:

1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 United States of America
Dear Winner,

Congratulations to you once again from the desk of the Ballot Promotion Team, we wish to officially inform you that your application has now been approved for payment via Visa ATM Card or Bank to Bank Transfer valued at $700,000.00.USD

Your numbers Attached to the lucky number (WH/US-646345-27) drew the lucky numbers of 03-06-09-12-16-27, Consequently won the ballot in category C which falls in the Asian region for payment.

Kindly take note of this enclosed number (WH/US-646345-27) Attached to this email is a copy of your winning certificate, you can forward the winning certificate and reference code number to our Affiliate Bank for the commencement of Payment: [email protected]
We have forwarded your information to the bank for processing and payment of your prize fund.
Below are the contact details of our paying bank, contact them on their email address to commence with the next stage of payment
Email Address: [email protected]
Scammers

So I compile a new mail, titled Give me the money, and I write:

Hi mr banker! How’s business going? I am contacting you to send me the 700 grand I won on the WhatsApp international ballot award program. Below is my reference code. Do please be quick and send me the dough because I’m sort of broke lately. It would be very much appreciated if I could have by evening today latest. Thanks. (WH/US-646345-27)
I

Soon I hear from them:

CMB CREDIT UNION
You are welcome to Credit Union Bank, we are happy to have you as one of our numerous customers all over the world who uses our advanced banking system.

A deposit of seven hundred thousand dollars(USD) has been received on your behalf from the WhatsApp.Inc. as the legal beneficiary of this year’s promotional award program with the payment approval Code (WH/US-646345-27) in our bank.

According to the payment instructions, we have two options for the remittance of your winning amount, kindly choose any of the below-listed options which are best for you to receive your prize fund.

Through Universal ATM Visa Card: By this method, our Credit Card section will setup a non-residential account which will enable us to deposit your total won fund in this new ATM Card. You will be able to withdraw your funds from any ATM machine in any part of the world.

Provide us with the below complete details to enable us create and post a card correctly in your name

Full Name
Postal Address
Contact Telephone Number (Mobile Phone Number)
Any copy of ID

Through Telegraphic Bank Transfer: Via bank transfer, this means your fund will be transferred directly to your bank account in your country. furnish us with the following information to commence with your transfer.

Full Name:
Bank Name:
Bank Account Number:
Bank Address:
Bank Swift Code/Iban:
Any copy of your ID:

Please read carefully and let us know the best option suitable to receive your fund from our bank. This will enable us to commence with your payment.
Customer satisfaction is our top priority. If you may have further questions please do not hesitate to let us know, Thank you for banking with us.

We expedite your response
Best regards,
Mrs. Somsart Panita
Head of international remittance department
Scammers

And I give them the details they need:

Hello, Somsart Panita! Thanks for your email. Look, if there also is such an option, I would prefer that we meet in person and you give me my money in cash (you are a banker – you know how it is with taxation and shit nowadays). Plus that if we meet, I could also take you out on a date (you are a girl, right?) and have some great time together on my first night as a rich man – we can get drunk, get high on coke, fly in a helicopter, and do all sorts. Do please send me a picture of yours so that I can confirm my date proposal.

If however that can’t be done, I will go for the first, ATM option. Following are the details you requested.

Full Name: Ikechukwu Khaligraph
Postal Address: Boko Haram infantry camp 36, Islamic Republic of Nigeria
Contact Telephone Number (Mobile Phone Number): +2340000000000
Any copy of ID
Looking forward to meeting you baby!!
I