419 scam: "FDV INTERNATIONAL CHARITY/AID ORGANIZATION" <fdvgrant@tfmi.com.tw> Grant Award

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "(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.
- fdv.grant@yahoo.it (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "FDV INTERNATIONAL CHARITY/AID ORGANIZATION" <fdvgrant@tfmi.com.tw>
Reply-To: fdv.grant@yahoo.it
Date: Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:34:45 -0600
Subject: Grant Award

The FDV INTERNATIONAL CHARITY/AID ORGANIZATION Would like
to notify you that you have been chosen by the board of trustees as one of
the final recipientsof a cash Grant/Donation for your own personal,
educational, and business development. FDV INTERNATIONAL CHARITY/AID
ORGANIZATION , is one of the biggest humanitarian N.G.O. heavily supported
by UNITED NATION (UN),EUROPEAN UNION (EU) ECONOMIC COMMUNITY FOR WEST
AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS).in 1999 till date we started offering financial
Award for the sole aim of human growth, educational and Community
development, this year,In conjunction with the ECOWAS, UN, and the EU, We
are giving out afinacncial donation of US$500,000 each to 30lucky
recipients for their personal,Educational and business development.The
objective is to make a positive change in the standard of living of
people all around the Universe (From America to Europe, Asia to Africa
and all around).

Note that all beneficiaries' email addresses were selected randomly
from over 100,000 internet websites and or a shop's cash invoice around
the world in which you might have purchased something from).
in accordance with FDV INTERNATIONAL CHARITY/AID ORGANIZATION (UN,
ECOWAS, EU) enabling act of parliament.

To claim your prize You are required to present
the following
information:

1.Full Name:.........
2.Home Address:......(and country)
3.Occupation:........
4.Telephone:.........
5.Sex:...............
6.Age:...............
7.Next of Kin:....
8.Batch Number.....FDV-035-75-07ED

Best Regards
MR STEVE FERGUSON
fdv.grant@yahoo.it
http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam