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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:
  • "fondazione di vittorio" (not involved with lotteries)
  • "vittorio fondazione" (not involved with lotteries)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million united states dollars" (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)
  • "(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.
  • sec_claudio011@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: fdv33@mchsi.com (Jennifer Puzo)
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 18:12:51 +0000
Subject: IMPORTANT NOTICE

VITTORIO FONDAZIONE.
Corso Ercole I d'Este 44,
Ferrara 44100 - Italy.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Foundation's Officer,
Fondazion Di Vittorio, ITALY
http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it

CONCERN

The Foundazion di Vittorio, would like to notify you that you have been
chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a
cash Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and business
development. The Fondazione Di Vittorio, established 1977 by the
Multi-Million groups and now supported by the Economic Community for
West AfricanStates (ECOWAS), United Nations Organization (UNO) and the
EuropeanUnion (EU) was conceived with the objective of human growth,
educational,and community development.

Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and
millions of supermarket cash invoices worldwide, you were selected
among thelucky recipients to receive the award sum of US$1,000,000.00
(OneMillion United States Dollars) as charity donations/aid from the
VittorioFoundation, ECOWAS, EU and the UNO in accordance with the
enabling act of Parliament. (Note that all beneficiaries email addresses were
selectedrandomly from over 100,000 internet websites or a shop's cash invoice
around your area in which you might have purchased something from).You
are required to fill the form below and email it to our Executive
Secretary below for qualification documentation and processing of your
claims. After contacting our office with the requested data, you will
begiven your donation pin number, which you will use in collecting the
funds.

Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers (N-222-6747,
E-900-56) in all discussions.
FULL NAMES:________________________
ADDRESS: _________________________
CITY:_________________________
STATE:_____________________ ZIP: _____
COUNTRY________________________________
SEX:_______________
AGE:_________________
MARITAL STATUS:_________________
OCCUPATION:________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________

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

SEND ALL YOUR CLAIMS AND INQUIRIES TO THE
Executive Secretary - Tony Claudio
Email: sec_claudio011@yahoo.com.hk

All information is strictly confidential and will only be used for the
purpose to which it is been requested.Please note that these
donations/Grants are strictly administered by Economic community for
West AfricanStates (ECOWAS),European Union (EU), under delegated powers
from the United Nations Organization (UNO). This means that your qualification
number will be reffled to know the organisation (ECOWAS or EU) that
will handle your payment.

On behalf of the Board kindly, accept our warmest congratulations.

Regards.
Mr. Jennifer Puzo
(Foundation officer)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam