Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Have you received an email from "Mrs. Prisca Vianelli" of "Fondazione Italcementi", telling you to contact "Mr. Adolfo Rigno" for your grant or "donation prize"? They just want to GIVE you money, no strings.
OK, there's ONE string: this is a complete scam and fraud. In some cases, the alleged organizations, like "Fondazione Italcementi" do exist and may be legitimate. Don't let that fool you. The scammer has nothing to do with them; the email and the grant are all nonsense. If you believe that there are organizations randomly handing out money like this, then we fear you may have been scammed already!
If you need more tangible proof, ask yourself this: why would an substantial organization with a website ask you to reply to a yahoo (or hotmail or other) generic, free email address, unrelated to the organization, which ANYONE could get? We've highlighted some of the more absurd statements and clues in the example email below.
And if you were crazy enough to write back to them, click here to a typical response the scammers send.
Date: April 18, 2007
From: FONDAZIONE ITALCEMENTI [ info_service9@bellsouth.net ]
To: info_service9@bellsouth.netSubject: GRANT NOTIFICATION!!
Foundation's Officer,
Fondazione Italcementi, ITALY http://www.fondazioneitalcementi.it
Be notified by our organization that you just won the Donation of US$1,350,000.00 (One Million, three United States Dollars). You are advised to contact immediately you receive this mail for further instruction on how you are to claim your donation prize.
Please quote your qualification numbers to our secretary for security reasons. Qualification numbers (N-222-6647, E-910-56) quote in all discussions.
Contact information below:
Executive Secretary- Mr. Adolfo Rigno
Email: adolfo_no@yahoo.ie
Regards.
Mrs. Prisca Vianelli
(Fondazione officer)
*