How to ID a Spoof message that looks semi legitimate

I received a message this morning in my personal email, and I thought it had several flags that should tip people off that it was not legit.

Dear E-mail User,

We want to notify you that your email address was selected through computer ballot system (CBS) as one of the lucky winners of power ball lottery draw promotion program 2020.

Your email address have won you a prize cheque worth US $1,500,000.00, please contact the authorized agent below for your claim and also send him your file reference number (ILP/MN 91038/09).

Claim Agent: Peter Perry
Email:peterperry086@gmail.com
Website:www.powerball.com

congratulations once again!

Yours faithfully,
Kenny Moore
Promotion Notification Officer.
Power Ball /Lottery Coordinator

First hint: They used the word “Cheque”, this indicates that the person who wrote this is in a country of former British Empire. You could argue that it is from an English person, but if an English person moved to the US for this high level of work they would know we spell it “Check”

Second hint: Generic email address. “peterperry086@gmail.com” The Powerball people literally have Millions of dollars, and hundreds of servers. They don’t give out Generic gmail email addresses.

Do not reply to emails like this one. If you want to do anything to help the problem forward it to abuse@powerball.com, or File a complaint at ftc.gov/complaint. They will likely need an email address of origin. If you don’t know how to find this, give us a call and we would be glad to help.

Pathways Networking
pathwaysnetworking.net