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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "vittorio foundation" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "anti-terrorism certificate" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "clear source of funds certificate" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
  • "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
  • "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
• 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.
  • +2348076664811 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
• 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.
  • dr.bensonrotimi_ecowasng@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Benson Rotimi" <dr.bensonrotimi_ecowasng@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:33:09 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT ECOWAS COUNSELLOR IN CHARGE OF CLAIMS DISPATCH.


From The desk Of
Mr Claudio Giovanni
Executive Secretary
Vittorio Foundation / Grant

Dear Esteemed Winner,

Congratulations once again on behalf of the Donations Board. We do believe that your winnings will be put into good use for community, educational and business development. On Behalf of the Screening Committee of Donations Board, I wish to formally announce to you that you have successfully passed the Email Screening and Verification Matching Test conducted for all online winners in your Category.


This is to acknowledge the receipt of the requested data, and the confirmation of your reliability in this universal programme. Do note that I have forwarded the produced data, to the head office of the Vittorio foundation (ITALY) and the ECOWAS (NIGERIA). I am in receipt of your Email and i must say that you should count yourself extremely lucky to have emerged as one of the recipient in this Universal donation.

All necessary documents that will facilitate the clearance of your cheque in your name have been processed.

Your parcel contains the following documents:

1.DONATION CHEQUE VALUED THE SUM OF US$ 800,000.00

2.DONATION CERTIFICATE FROM THE VITTORIO FOUNDATION,
ITALY

3.CLEAR SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATES (C.S.F.C.)

4.ANTI-TERRORISM CERTIFICATES (A.T.C)

5.BENEFICIARY PAYMENT FORM (KINDLY NOTE THAT THIS IS
THE FORM THAT STATES THE BENEFICIARIES NAME AND BANK
NAME THAT WILL RECEIVE THE CHEQUE.)

6.LETTER OF AFFIDAVITS FROM THE NIGERIAN HIGH COURT
OF JUSTICE, STATING THAT THE DONATION WAS RECEIVED
LEGALLY FROM THE UNIVERSAL DONATION PROGRAMME, AND
DUELY SIGNED BY THE LEGAL ATTORNEY TO THE ECOWAS.

Note that your country is not the only country that is benefiting from this donation. 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. Take time and thought in spending the donation wisely on something that will last you a long time. Recipients are only eligible to be awarded this donation once.

The Vittorio Foundation Donations board has discovered a huge number of double claims due to winners informing close friends relatives and third parties about their winning and also sharing their pin numbers. As a result of this, these friends try to claim the donation on behalf of the real winners. The Donations board losses millions of dollars to this fraudulent people, and has reached a decision from headquarters that any double claim discovered by the Donations board will result to the Donations board canceling that particular claim, making a loss for both the double claimer and the real winner, as it is taken that the real winner was the informer to the double claimer about the winnings. So you are hereby strongly advised once more to keep your winnings strictly confidential until you can claim your donation.

Your parcel with identification number: {EPL/CPL/9800} has been sent to our affiliate claims office, because your claims falls within our ECOWAS booklet, and you have been directed to contact the Ecowas Counsellor in charge of claims dispatch.

PAYMENT OFFICER
DR. BENSON ROTIMI
COUNSELLOR, ECOWAS HEADOFFICE ABUJA.
EMAIL: dr.bensonrotimi_ecowasng@yahoo.co.uk
TEL: +2347037748368
FAX: +2348076664811
ADDRESS: PLOT 7, BLOCK 28, GARKI, ABUJA.

Do note that on contact with Dr. Benson Rotimi, you are to provide him with your full name and address in which you wish the donation cheque be sent to. Its is imperative that you add your identification number {EPL/CPL/9800} as the subject of any correspondence with the dispatch office to ensure they respond in a timely manner. I will require a concise update on proceedings with the dispatch office as soon as you are in contact with them. If you need any assistance whatsoever, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Do contact Dr. Benson Rotimi immediately as advised.

Do have a nice day,
Mr. Claudio Giovanni.
Foundation Secretary


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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam