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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
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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:
  • ",500,000" (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)
• 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.
  • telefundacion01@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Lady (Mrs.) Reina Gianfagna. <telefonicaclaims@aim.com>
Reply-To: telefundacion01@aim.com
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:51:05 +0200
Subject: CASH ENDOWMENT NOTIFICATION


Telefonica Foundation
http://www.fundacion.telefonica.com/
Calle Gran via 23 2B, 28005 Madrid-Spain.
(Fundacion Telefonica, Espa=F1ola)
Attn: Donation Recipient
RE: CASH ENDOWMENT NOTIFICATION
I have been directed to inform you 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 FUNDACION TELEFONICA established 1975 by the =
Multi-Million groups and companies in Europe having their corporate head =
office in Spain was conceived with the objective of human growth, =
educational, and community development.
To celebrate the 33rd anniversary program, The Telefonica Foundation is =
giving out a yearly donation of 1,500,000.00 Euros (One Million Five Hundred =
Thousand Euros) each to 30 lucky recipients. These specific Donations/Grants =
will be awarded to 30 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.
The objective is to make a notable change in the standard of living of people =
all around the Universe (From America to Europe, Asia to Africa and all =
around). The Vittorio Foundation has been assured of highest organization =
standard courtesy of the United Nations. It is our belief that we can achieve =
a great positive change in the general welfare of the universe through this =
program. That is why the foundation is doing everything possible to get all =
recipients notified of their donation.
Note that your country is not the only country that is benefiting from this =
donation. Beneficiaries have been chosen from countries from all the =
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.
Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and millions of =
supermarket cash invoices worldwide, you were selected among the lucky =
recipients to receive the award sum of 1,500,000 Euros (One Million Five =
Hundred Thousand Euros) as charity donations/aid from the FUNDACION =
TELEFONICA, in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament. (Note that all =
beneficiaries email addresses were selected randomly from over 600,000 =
internet websites or a shop's cash invoice around your area in which you =
might have purchased something from).
A qualification form will be sent to you to fill and returned as soon as you =
acknowledge this notification email with your interest in receiving the Cash =
Grant.You are to contact the 33rd Anniversary Secretary with the information =
below:
*****************************************************************************=
**
Name:Dr.Frank Wade,
Email: telefundacion01@aim.com
Anniversary Secretary
Telefonica Foundation
*****************************************************************************=
**
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 =
Telefonica Foundation. This means that your qualification number will be =
raffled to know the organisation (ECOWAS or EU) that will handle your =
payment. You are 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, no =
later than 15 days after notification. Failure to do so will mean =
cancellation of that beneficiary and its donation will then be reserved for =
next year's recipients.
On behalf of the Board kindly, accept our warmest Congratulations.
Faithfully Yours,
Lady (Mrs.) Reina Gianfagna.
Promotion Director
Telefonica Foundation
*****************************************************************************=
**
Confidential: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential =
and are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they =
areaddressed. This communication represents the originator's personal views =
and opinions, which do not necessarily reflect those of the FUNDACION =
TELEFONICA.
If you are not the original recipient or the person responsible for =
delivering the email to the intended recipient, be advised that you have =
received this email in error, and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, =
printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you received =
this email in error, please immediately notify us.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam