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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:
  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!
  
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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 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.
  • +447045761089 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• 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.
  • ifoundationuk@gmail.com

Fraud email example:

From: "United Nations Foundation" <pie-arch@mydestiny.net>
Reply-To: no-reply@un.org
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:44:46 -0000
Subject: Grant.



--
United Nations Foundation,
Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20036

Dear Sir/Madam,

UN Foundation Grant.

This is to notify you that you have been chosen By the Board of trustees
of the above International (Charity & Human Developmental) Organization,
as one of the final recipients of a Cash Grant/Donation for your personal
development.

The UN Foundation was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist
Ted Turners' historic $1 billion gift to support UN Causes and activities.
The UN Foundation builds and implements public-private partnerships to
address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the
UN through advocacy and public outreach. The UN Foundation is a public
charity.

The Secretary-General established the United Nations Fund for
International Partnerships (UNFIP) in March 1998 to coordinate, channel
and monitor contributions from the UN Foundation. UNFIP is the central
administrative vehicle within the UN system to identify and select
projects for UN Foundation funding, receive and distribute UN Foundation
funds, and monitor and evaluate the use of UN Foundation funds.

In line with the arrangements for the 10th year anniversary program this
year, the UN Foundation in conjunction with the Economic Community for
West African States (ECOWAS), United Nations Organization (UNO) and the
European Union, is giving out a yearly donation of Fifty Million Great
Britain Pounds as specific Donations/Grants to 100 lucky international
recipients worldwide in different categories for their personal and
community development and upliftment of their educational morale. The
objective is to make a notable change in the standard of living of people
in United Nations Member Countries.

Based on the random selection of internet Web Pages and millions of
Supermarket cash invoices worldwide you were selected among the
beneficiaries to receive the sum of GBP500,000.00 Pounds (Five Hundred
Thousand Great Britain Pounds) as developmental aid from the UN
Foundation, in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament Be informed
that the UN Foundation has been assured of highest Organization standard
courtesy of the United Nations if we can achieve a great positive change
in the general welfare of the universe through this program.

Beneficiaries have been chosen from every UN Member Nation from all
Continents. The idea of this donation is that within ten years from now,
there will be notable wealth among many unusual people around the world.
This will give everyone the opportunity to improve their standards of
living. It’s important to note that you will only be chosen to receive the
donation once, which implies that subsequent yearly donation will not get
to you again.

The ITIL Foundation, UK has been appointed to oversee this development
affair.

You are required to expeditiously Contact the Executive Secretary of The
ITIL Foundation with the details below for documentation and processing of
the release of your cash aid, between the hours of 8.00am - 7.00pm on
Monday through Saturday.Please endeavor to quote your Qualification
numbers (UNI/ITIL-816-1119 G-987-94) in all discussions.

Executive Secretary: ITIL Foundation, UK - David Nelson

Email: ifoundationuk@gmail.com Telephone: +44 704 576 1089

Please note that the release of your cash aid/donations is to be
administered by The ITIL Foundation, UK under delegated powers from the UN
Foundation. You are hereby advised to keep this whole information
confidential until your donations have been duly remitted to you. There
have been many cases of double and unqualified claim, due to beneficiaries
divulging details of donations to third parties.

On behalf of the Board,

faithfully,

S M Maher
Unit Coordinator
UN WORLD GRANT DEPT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam