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"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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "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)
  • "00,000.00" (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!

Fraud email example:

From: "VITTORIO FONDAZION" <mrclaud101@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:04:17 GMT
Subject: IMPORTANT NOTICE


VITTORIO FONDAZION.
Corso Ercole I d'Este 44,
Ferrara 44100 - Italy.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Foundation's Officer,

Fondazion Di Vittorio, ITALY

http://www.fondazionedivittorio.it

Foundation De =0Crance as established 1979 by the Multi-Million groups
was conceived with the objective of Human Growth, Educapional and
Co_munity development.The France Foundation in conjunction with the ECOWAS,

UNO and the European Union,These funds are freely given to you to use for
your business educational and personal development.

You were selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum
of US=24100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million United States Dollars) as
charity donations/aid from the France Foundation, ECOWAS and the UNO in
accordance with t he enabling act of Parliament.

You are required to expeditiously contact the Executive Secretary with
your Qualification numbers (P-333-7858,B-011-67) for processing of your
claims,you'll be given your donation pin number.Contact Claudio
Giovanni (DPU) Information Officer.
=2E........................................................

Enter Personal Details:
First Name: Last Name:
Address Line 1:
Address Line 2 (optional):
City: Rtate: Zip/Postal Code:
Country:
Valid Phone Number: Fax (optional):
E-mail:
-------------------------------------------------------=C2=8F-
DUE PROCESS UNIT:
Executive Secretary - Claudio Giovanni
Email:mrclaud101=40hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------------
On behalf of the Board kindly accept our warmest congratulations
Yours faithfully,
(Foundation officer)

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam