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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• 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 fondazione" (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)
  • "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)
  • "(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.
  • vfsecretary@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Gregory Longstreet <greg46516@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:06:06 +0000
Subject: RE: VITTORIO FOUNDATION(YOU HAVE WON A CASH DONATION).



This is considerred fraud and is being reported as such. > From: vfsecretary9@live.com> Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:52:21 +0000> Subject: VITTORIO FOUNDATION(YOU HAVE WON A CASH DONATION).> To: > > VITTORIO FONDAZIONE.> Corso Ercole I d'Este 44,> Ferrara 44100 - Italy.> > IMPORTANT NOTICE> > Foundation's Officer,> Fondazion Di Vittorio, ITALY> http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it> > ATTENTION> > 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 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 (UN) and the> European Union (EU) was conceived with the objective of human growth,> educational, and community development.> > To celebrate the 30th anniversary program, The Vittorio Foundation in> conjunction with the ECOWAS, (UN) and the (EU) is giving out a yearly> donation of US $100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million United States > Dollars) to 100 lucky recipients.> > 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 UN in accordance with the enabling act> of Parliament.> > 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 identification pin number, which you will use in> collecting the funds. Please endeavor to quote your Qualification> numbers (N-222-6747,E-900-56) in all discussions.> > FULL NAMES:__________________________________> ADDRESS: ____________________________________> CITY:_________________________> STATE:_______________________ZIP: ___________> COUNTRY_______________________> SEX:______________> AGE:__________________> MARITAL STATUS:_________________> OCCUPATION:________________________> E-MAIL ADDRESS:_______________________> TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________> > SEND ALL YOUR CLAIMS AND INQUIRIES TO THE> Executive Secretary - Claudio Giovanni> Email: vfsecretary@hotmail.com> > All information is strictly confidential and will only be used for the> purpose to which it is been requested. Please note that these> donations/Grants are strictly administered by (ECOWAS), and (EU), under> delegated powers from the United Nations (UN).> This means that your qualification number will be raffled to know the> organisation (ECOWAS or EU) that will handle your payment.> > Finally, all funds should be claimed by their respective beneficiaries,> no later than 14 days after notification. Failure to do so will mean> cancellation of that beneficiary and its donation will then be reserved> for next year's recipients.> > On behalf of the Board, kindly accept our warmest congratulations.> > SEND ALL YOUR CLAIMS AND INQUIRIES TO THE> Executive Secretary - Claudio Giovanni> Email: vfsecretary@hotmail.com> > Regards.> > Mr. Sparo Malcom> (Foundation officer)> >
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam