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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:
  • "vittorio foundation" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "clear source of funds certificate" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "00,000.00" (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)
  • "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +2347035399041
• 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.
  • ecowas_fdv_dpt@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Ecowas Office <ecowas_fdv_promo12@yahoo.it>
Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:36:52 +0100 (CET)
Subject: CHOOSE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY OPTIONS(treat as urgent)




Foundazion Di Vittorio
International Payout Office
Abuja Nigeria,West Africa
Telephone: +2347035399041


Attn:H.C.Broekhof,

Congratulations once again on behalf of the Donations Board. We do believe that your winnings will be put into good use for community, educational and business development. On Behalf of the Screening Committee of Donations Board, I wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the Email Screening and Verification Matching Test conducted for all online winners in your Category. Hence you are therefore cleared, your cheque has been issued and you can now claim your donation.

Note you won US$500,000.00 to 40 lucky recipients, as charity donations/aid from the Vittorio Foundation,(ECOWAS).

All necessary documents that will facilitate the clearance of your cheque in your name has been processed. Your parcel contains the following documents:

1.WINNING CHEQUE VALUED THE SUM OF $500,000.00
2.WINNING CERTIFICATE FROM THE DONATIONS BOARD.
3.CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES(C.S.F.C.)


These documents have been securely sealed and packed for security reasons which makes it impossible for anyone to view it until its been delivered to you.Please choose from the delivery Options below, For safe delivery of your winning Cheque and other winning documents:



Mailing $ 120.00 00.00 Insurance $ 100.00 00.00 Doc Proccessing fee $ 80.00 00.00 TOTAL $ 300.00 00.00






















Mailing $100.00 00.00 Insurance $80.00 00.00 Doc Proccessing fee $60.00 00.00 TOTAL $240.00 00.00




















Mailing $ 100.00

00.00 Insurance $ 60.00 00.00 Doc Proccessing fee $ 40.00 00.00 TOTAL $200.00 00.00









This company declined reverse payment for these charges, stating that it is against their professional policy towards ensuring the safe delivery of the cheque to you. That if a reverse payment is made, and something goes wrong, We cannot sue the courier company or insurance company to recover the full value of the fund as stipulated in the cheque since payment for insurance cover was not made at point of mailing.With the above reason, reverse payment is ruled out.

Note: that your prize is protected by a hardcover insurance policy, which makes it impossible to deduct any amount from the money before it has been remitted to you. This means that the above charges cannot be deducted from the prize and hence must be provided by you because your an international winner,before your prize is transferred to you.

This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the national gambling act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3rd july 1996 by the constitutional assembly.This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds

Send your response to indicate your option within the next 48hrs,because you only have 7 days to claim this cheque and after this period,your cash prize will be deemed to have been forfeited by you and will be re used in the drawings of the next edition of the lottery.


Best Regards,
Dr. Mark Brown,


Email:ecowas_fdv_dpt@yahoo.it
Website:http:www.fondazionedivittorio





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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam