I received one of these messages this morning from a bot, here is a copy of the text:
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:tada::tada: Congratulations! :tada::tada:
You won 0.1 BTC in the Giveaway by Mercatox.org
Detailed Info and Conditions about Giveaway:
https://medium.com/@mercatox.media/mercatox-giveaway-14b17324ba8fYour Promo Code: 0F9D20C3
How to use the promo code and get your winnings?
1) Register on the site:
https://mercatox.org/2) Go to the Account section and activate you Promo Code.
3) Exchange your BTC for any currency or withdraw to your BTC address.
:bangbang: Attention! :bangbang:
- Don't give this Promo Code to anyone. If someone uses it instead you, we will can't return your winnings to you.
- Promo Code is valid 7 days from the date of issue.
Have some questions about winnings? Email us:
mercatox.media@gmail.comHave some technical problems with Promo Code? Write online support on our website.
Regards,
Mercatox Team.
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Obvious scam as no one gives away .1 BTC for free, it is the very same scam I have encountered with various shills asking for "help" recovering funds from an exchange that popped up only days prior.
Avoid anyone offering to give you a quantity of BTC for free, by helping them move funds, or from a "reward". And never, ever send funds to an exchange that has not been properly vetted.
A useful tactic if you are approached directly by someone attempting to con you, is ask for a deposit of .01 BTC before you will help them with anything. If they are genuine, it is a modest amount to request for expert blockchain help (if you are qualified to give such help), and if they are a con, they usually do there best to insult you in English, before finishing with an insult in their native tongue, which when translated into English also makes you laugh
![Wink](https://bitcointalk.org/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
So in the end, avoid these scams but be sure to have fun with the people who are involved with them, ask them for BTC (have a real address ready
![Tongue](https://bitcointalk.org/Smileys/default/tongue.gif)
), maybe ask them to register at a different exchange in response to see if they play along.
These scams work because the people involved are smarter/sharper than the ones they prey on, you just need to be smarter/sharper than them
![Wink](https://bitcointalk.org/Smileys/default/wink.gif)