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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "GIANNI MATTIOLI" <vittoriosecretary@italianassociates.net>
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 16:21:40 +0000
Subject: FONDAZIONE INFORMATION

                                          

Foundations Officer,
Vittorio Foundation,
ITALY.
www.fondazionedivittorio.it

Dear Sir,

NOTIFICATION FOR CASH AID.

This is to notify you that you have been chosen By the Board of trustees of the above International charity organization based in the Italy as one of the final recipients of a Cash Grant/Donation for your own personal,education and business development

The Vittorio Foundation as established 1977 by the Multi-Million groups was conceived with the objective of Human Growth, Educational and Community development. In line with the 28 years anniversary program this year

the Vittorio Foundation in conjunction with the Economic community for West Africn States (ECOWAS) , United Nations Organization (UNO) and the European union, is giving out a yearly donation of One Hundred Million

United States Dollars as specific Donations/Grants to 150 lucky international recipients worldwide in different categories for their personal Business development and uplift of their family. These funds are freely given to you to use for your business educational and personal development, as this is a yearly program, which is a measure of universal development strategy, and eradication of poverty. Please kindly note that you are not the only beneficiary in your country this year, and your country is not the only country that is benefiting from this donation, as beneficiaries have been chosen from countries from all continents. The idea of this donation is that within ten years from now, there will be notable richness among many unusual people around the world. This will give many people the opportunity to get their lives to a stage where they had always wanted. Kindly note that you will only be chosen to receive the donation once, which means that subsequent yearly donation will not get to you again, so its your choice to spend the donation wisely on something that will last you a long time. And please do not bother following up this email, if you have benefited from this donation in previous years.

Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and millions of Super market cash invoices worldwide you were selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of US$850,000.00 (eight hundred and fifty thousand United states Dollars) as charity donations/aid from the Vittorio Foundation, ECOWAS and the UNO in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament. (note that your email was selected from either the internet, after absolute viewing of your profile or a Shop's cash invoice around your area in which you might have purchased something from).

You are required to expeditiously Contact the Executive Secretary below for qualification documentation and processing of your claims, between the hours of 8.00am - 7.30pm on Monday through Sunday. On contact with this officer, you'll be given your donation pin number which you will use in collecting the funds. You are to contact back this email when you have collected your S$850,000.00. Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers (N-222-6747, E-900-56) in all discussions.

Executive Secretary- Mr. Riccardo Varanini Email:
ricvaranini@vittoriofoundation.net

Please note that this donations/Grants are strictly administered by "ECOWAS" under delegated powers from the UNO. you are by all means hereby advised to keep this whole information confidential until you have been able to collect your donation, as there have been many cases of double and unqualified claim, due to beneficiaries informing third parties about his/her donation.

Finally, all funds should be claimed by their respective beneficiaries, not later that 15 days after notification, as failure to do so will be to that particular beneficiary cancelled and its donation reserved for next years receipients.

On behalf of the Board kindly accept our warmest congratulations

Yours faithfully,
Mr. Gianni Mattioli.
(Foundation officer)

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