joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • admedshuru@yahoo.it

Fraud email example:

From: Anthonio Gianlucci <mranthonio@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 00:06:27 -0400
Subject: From the desk of Mr. Anthonio Gianlucci




>From the desk of Mr. Anthonio Gianlucci

VITTORIO FONDAZIONE.
Corso Ercole I d'Este 44,Ferrara 44100 - Italy.
Concern: ,

This is to acknowledge the receipt of the requested data and the confirmation of your reliability in this universal programme. Do note that I have forwarded the produced data, to the head office of the Vittorio Foundation (ITALY) and the ECOWAS head office (Organisation assigned to handle your payment) in NIGERIA

Your application for the claim of your Donation prize will be duly processed for Settlement and swift credit be made upon the verification and certification approval.


The Vittorio Foundation has discovered a huge number of double claims due to beneficiaries informing close friends relatives, attorneys and third parties about their donations. As a result of this, this close friends relatives, attorneys and third parties try to claim the prize on behalf of the real recipients. The Vittorio Foundation has lost millions of dollars to this fraudulent people, and have reached a decision from headquarters that any double claim discovered by The Vittorio Foundation, will result to the Lottery office canceling that particular donation, making a loss for both the double claimer and the real beneficiary, as it is taken that the real recipient was the informer to the double claimer about the donation. So you are hereby advised once more to keep your all informations strictly confidential until your claim has been fully recovered.

Included in this letter is your donation pin number to be used when claiming your donation. Your donation pin number is "21556770665477". This number should be kept strictly confidential by you, as you will use it in receiving your donation.
You are to immediately contact the Payment officer in the ECOWAS office in ABUJA, NIGERIA for claim of your donation. Please do contact the officer in the below information.

CONTACT INFOS.MR. AHMED SHURU
COUNSELLOR, ECOWAS HEAD OFFICEPLOT 4, BLOCK 23, GARKI ABUJA, NIGERIA.EMAIL: admedshuru@yahoo.it
TEL: +234-(703)-022-2885

Do note that on contact with Mr. AHMED SHURU, you are to provide him with your Full Name, Address and phone numbers, Batch and pin numbers. This will enable the ECOWAS office to verify your claim with the files which have been sent to them.

Please contact MR. AHMED SHURU immediately. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Signed,
Mr Anthonio GianlucciFoundation Secretary.
http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it.




Copyright © 1977-2007 Vittorio Foundation. All rights reserved.

_________________________________________________________________
Download Messenger. Start an i’m conversation. Support a cause. Join now.
http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=TAGWL_MAY07

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam