419 scam: Fidelity UK Foundation <info@fidelityukfoundation.org> Grant Prize/Donation Awards...

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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "million pounds" (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)
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: Fidelity UK Foundation <info@fidelityukfoundation.org>
Reply-To: fidelityfuf@8u8.com
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:31:23 +0200
Subject: Grant Prize/Donation Awards...

The Fidelity UK Foundation,
Oakhill House, 130 Tonbridge Road,
Hildenborough, Kent, TN11 9DZ

Dear Sir/Madam,

The Fidelity UK Foundation would like to notify you that you have been chosen
by the board as one of the final recipients of a cash Grant/Donation for your
own personal, educational, and business development. The Fidelity UK Foundation
is located in Hildenborough, Kent, UK.

The Fidelity UK Foundation was established in 1988 to strengthen not-for-profit
organizations primarily in regions surrounding Fidelity International's major
corporate locations around the world.

Grants from the Foundation are designed to encourage the highest standards of
management and long-term self-reliance in non-profit organizations. Taking an
investment approach to grant making, we fund organizations where we feel we can
add lasting, measurable value. We seek to support major initiatives that
charitable organizations undertake to reach new levels of achievement.

We are giving out a yearly donation of 1,000,000.00GBP (One Million Pounds
Sterling's only) each to 10 lucky recipients. These specific Donations/Grants
will be awarded to 10 lucky international recipients worldwide, in different
categories. Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and
millions of supermarket cash invoices worldwide, you were selected amongst the
lucky recipients to receive the award sum of 1,000,000.00GBP as charity
donations/aid.

CONTACT FOUNDATION ASSISTANT FOR MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR CLAIMS
Name: Ewa Morgan
Email:fidelityfuf@8u8.com

Please note that these donations/Grants are strictly administered by the UN in
collaboration with other international institutions and organizations such as
the World Bank, OECD, the ILO, the European Investment Bank and UNESCO. You are
advised to keep this whole information confidential until you have been able to
redeem your donation.

You would be required to send down the following information’s:

==========================================

FULL NAME:
RESIDENT ADDRESS:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
SEX:
DATE OF BIRTH:
OCCUPATION:
TEL:

==========================================

On behalf of the Board kindly, accept our warmest congratulations

Regards,
Angela Morris
(Foundation Program Manager)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam