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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:
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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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "dear beneficiary," (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
  • "(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: "HelpDesk Moodle" <info@fdf.org>
Reply-To: coleeddylawfirm@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:23:57 +0200
Subject: Cash Grant Award

Foundation De France,France
http://www.fdf.org

Dear Beneficiary,

The Foundation De France(FDF) 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 FDF, established 1977 by the Multi-Million groups and now supported by the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS),United Nations organization (UNO) and the European Union (EU) was conceived with the objective of human growth, educational, and community development. In conjunction with the ECOWAS, UNO and the EU, We are giving out a yearly donation of US$1,350,000.00 (One million, Three hundred and Fifty thousand United states dollars only) each to 105 lucky recipients.

These specific Donations/Grants will be awarded to 105 lucky
international recipients worldwide, in different categories.Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and millions of
supermarket cash invoices worldwide, you were selected amongst the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of US$1,350,000.00 as charity donations/aid.

CONTACT THE SECRETARY FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ON YOUR CLAIMS,Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers (FDF-444-6647-9163) in all
discussions.

Executive Sec. Mr. Mark Tunner
Email:fdf_f@live.com

Please note that these donations/Grants are strictly administered by the EU, ECOWAS, UNO. You are by all means hereby advised to keep this whole information confidential. until you have been able to collect your Donation.

You would be required to send down the following informations:

1. FULL NAMES:
2. ADDRESS:
3. SEX:
4. AGE:
5. MARITAL STATUS:
6. OCCUPATION:
7. E-MAIL ADDRESS:
8. TELEPHONE NUMBER:
9. CITY:
10. STATE:
11. COUNTRY:

YOU WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO PICK A MODE OF PAYMENT :

1.ONLINE BANK PAYMENT
2.CASH PICK-UP IN PERSON

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

Regards.

Mrs. Angie Randall
Foundation De France,France

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam