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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!
  
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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:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "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: "United nations foundation" <info@ungrant.org>
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:17:11 -0700
Subject: Grant.


United Nations Foundation,

Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 400

Washington, D.C. 20036

Dear Sir/Madam,

UN Foundation Grant.

This is to notify you that you have been chosen By the Board
of trustees of the above International (Charity & Human
Developmental) Organization, as one of the final recipients
of a Cash Grant/Donation for your personal development.

The UN Foundation was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and
philanthropist Ted Turners' historic $1 billion gift to
support UN Causes and activities. The UN Foundation builds
and implements public-private partnerships to address the
world's most pressing problems, and broadens support for the
UN through advocacy and public outreach. The UN Foundation
is a public charity.

The Secretary-General established the United Nations Fund
for

International Partnerships (UNFIP) in March 1998 to
coordinate, channel and monitor contributions from the UN
Foundation. UNFIP is the central administrative vehicle
within the UN system to identify and select projects for UN
Foundation funding, receive and distribute UN Foundation
funds, and monitor and evaluate the use of UN Foundation
funds.

In line with the arrangements for the 10th year anniversary
program this year, the UN Foundation in conjunction with the
Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), United
Nations Organization (UNO) and the European Union, is giving
out a yearly donation of Fifty Million Great Britain Pounds
as specific Donations/Grants to 100 lucky international
recipients worldwide in different categories for their
personal and community development and upliftment of their
educational morale. The objective is to make a notable
change in the standard of living of people in United Nations
Member Countries.

Based on the random selection of internet Web Pages and
millions of Supermarket cash invoices worldwide you were
selected among the beneficiaries to receive the sum of
GBP500,000.00 Pounds (Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain
Pounds) as developmental aid from the UN Foundation, in
accordance with the enabling act of Parliament Be informed
that the UN Foundation has been assured of highest
Organization standard courtesy of the United Nations if we
can achieve a great positive change in the general welfare
of the universe through this program.

Beneficiaries have been chosen from every UN Member Nation
from all Continents. The idea of this donation is that
within ten years from now, there will be notable wealth
among many unusual people around the world. This will give
everyone the opportunity to improve their standards of
living. It's important to note that you will only be chosen
to receive the donation once, which implies that subsequent
yearly donation will not get to you again.

The ITIL Foundation, UK has been appointed to oversee this
development affair.

You are required to expeditiously Contact the Executive
Secretary of The ITIL Foundation with the details below for
documentation and processing of the release of your cash
aid, between the hours of 8.00am - 7.00pm on Monday through
Saturday.Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers
(UNI/ITIL-816-1119 G-987-94) in all discussions.

Executive Secretary: ITIL Foundation, UK - David Nelson

Email: david.nelson@itilfoundations.org

Please note that the release of your cash aid/donations is
to be administered by The ITIL Foundation, UK under
delegated powers from the UN Foundation. You are hereby
advised to keep this whole information confidential until
your donations have been duly remitted to you. There have
been many cases of double and unqualified claim, due to
beneficiaries divulging details of donations to third
parties.

On behalf of the Board,

faithfully,

S M Maher

Unit Coordinator

UN WORLD GRANT DEPT.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam