419 scam: "VODAFONE AWARD PROGRAM"<vdclms01@vidaconnect.com> South Africa 2010 (World Cup)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- ",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)
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!

Fraud email example:

From: "VODAFONE AWARD PROGRAM" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vodapromo@gmail.it>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16.35.22 +0200
Subject: South Africa 2010 (World Cup)

VODAFONE ONLINE AWARD PROGRAM
Head offices: 26 Via di Trigoria.
00137 Milan
Italy.

Our Ref: - IT02943ST
Your Ref: - PD 9633 D4

Attention: Confirmed Winner !

Vodafone Company is at it again. 18 (Eighteen) Lucky Winners has been selected from an randomly selected Internet users from the World Wide Web through a computer draw system and extracted from over 80,000,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion is a one time programmer and no tickets were sold for this lucky draw because the draw is to promote the sponsoreship bid as the official MOBILE for the South Africa 2010 World Cup. We hope that this notice sent to you via the Internet will get to you on time to claim your winnings from our authorized agent zone.

Your email has been selected as one of the 18 (Eighteen) winners entitled to gain Euro 520,000:00 Only (Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand Euros Only). All winnings must be claimed within the specific time, not latter than 21 days and you must contact your Agent in your zone in Italy via the email address Or Tel/Fax given to you which will enable you claim your winnings immediately. Your personal winning codes are as below:

*******************************************************
Tag-Serial Code: HDEI-08920-IT
Winning Code: 000009382634101020
*******************************************************

Your prize award Euro 520,000:00 Only (Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand Euros Only) will be transferred to you upon meeting our requirements, statutory obligations, verifications, validations and satisfactory report.

To begin the claims processing, you are advised to contact our licensed and accredited claims processor. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.

Note that we prohibit any deduction from your claims by our agent, if you notice any deduction from your winnings do report your agent to us immediately.

IMPORTANT: CONTACT YOUR AGENT DIRECTLY USING THE BELOW INFORMATION’S AND ALSO QUOTE YOUR WINNING CODES ON MAIL TO THE AGENT.

AGENT:
Mr. Filipp Casti
(Claim Processor Director)
Email: vodapromo@gmail.it
Tel/Fax: (095) 5900763

Once again congratulations for your winnings.

Vodafone Program Coordinator.
VODAFONE ONLINE AWARD PROGRAM

This email may contain information which is confidential and/or privileged. The information is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents is prohibited. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please notify the sender by telephone or return email and delete the material from your computer.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam