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"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:
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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "fondazione di vittorio" (not involved with lotteries)
  • "vittorio foundation" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing 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.
  • giovanigalantu@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: contract11@mchsi.com (giovanigalantu@yahoo.it )
Date: Sat, 01 Sep 2007 22:42:00 +0000
Subject: IMPORTANT NOTICE (Donation Grant)

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Foundation's Officer,
Fondazion Di Vittorio,
ITALY
http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it

Concern.

The Foundazion di Vittorio, would like to notify you that you have been chosen
by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash
Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and business development.
The Fondazione Di Vittorio, established 1977 by the Multi-Million groups and
now supported by the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS),
United Nations Organization (UNO) and the European Union (EU) was conceived
with the objective of human growth, educational, and community development.

To celebrate the 28th anniversary program, The Vittorio Foundation in
conjunction with the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS),
United Nations Organization (UNO) and the European Union (EU) is giving out a
yearly donation of US$100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million United States
Dollars) to 100 lucky recipients. These specific Donations/Grants will be
awarded to 100 lucky international recipients worldwide;
Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and millions of
supermarket cash invoices worldwide, you were selected among the lucky
recipients to receive the award sum of US$1,000,000.00 (One Million United
States Dollars) as charity donations/aid from the Vittorio Foundation, ECOWAS,
EU and the UNO in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament. (Note that
all beneficiaries email addresses were selected randomly from over 100,000
internet websites or a shop's cash invoice around your area in which you might
have purchased something from).

You are required to fill the form below and email it to our Executive Secretary
below for qualification documentation and processing of your claims. After
contacting our office with the requested data, you will be given your donation
pin number, which you will use in collecting the funds. Please endeavor to
quote your Qualification numbers (N-444-7858, E-800-67) in all discussions.

FULL NAMES:__________________________________
ADDRESS: _________________________________________________
CITY:_________________________
STATE:__________________________________ ZIP: ______________
COUNTRY________________________________
SEX:_______________
AGE:__________________
MARITAL STATUS:_________________
OCCUPATION:________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________
===========================================
Executive Secretary- Giovani Galantu
Email: giovanigalantu@yahoo.it

All information is strictly confidential and will only be used for the purpose
to which it is been requested.

Regards.
Mr. Alessandra Ceasar
(Foundation officer)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam