joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

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)
  • "vittorio foundation" (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 british 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)
  • "(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.
  • office.money@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Money Office" <info@foundation.com>
Reply-To: aussie_draws@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:00:27 -1200
Subject: GRANT FUNDS DONATED TO YOU ( OPEN IMMEDIATELY )

VITTORIO FONDAZIONE.
Corso Ercole I d'Este 44,
Ferrara 44100 - Italy
Foundation's Officer,
Fondazione Di Vittorio,
ITALY.
http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it

Congratulation!!!

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 African State(ECOWAS), United Nations
Organization (UNO) and the European Union (EU) was conceived
with the objective of human growth, educational, and
community development. To celebrate the 28th anniversary
program, The Vittorio Foundation in conjunction with the
Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS),United
Nations Organization (UNO) and the European Union (EU) is
giving out a yearly donation of 1,000.000.00 GBP ( One
Million British Pounds ) to 50 lucky recipients. These
specific Donations/Grants will be awarded to 50 lucky
international recipients worldwide in different categories
for their personal business development and enhancement of
their educational plans.
At least 15% of the awarded funds should be used by you to
develop a part of your environment.

This is a yearly program, which is a measure of universal
development strategy. 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 be given 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.
Send All Your Inquires To The Executive Secretary

Contact Executive Secretary: Harry Hector
Email: office.money@yahoo.co.uk

FULL NAMES:__________________
ADDRESS: ____________________
CITY : _________________________
STATE :_______________________
ZIP: ______________
COUNTRY_______________
SEX:_______________
AGE:__________________
MARITAL STATUS:___________
OCCUPATION:_________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS:_____________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER:_____________________

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

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 of West African State(ECOWAS),European
Union (EU).On behalf of the Board kindly,accept our warmest
congratulations.

Regards,
Mr.Petti Madini
(Foundation officer)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam