Scam Money Transfers - Fake Grants: Eglise Catholique en France - ECOWAS

Scam Money Transfers - Fake Grants
Example - Église Catholique en France - ECOWAS
"Rev.Santini Benzima", "Rev. Silvian Dechamps"

Now, even the Catholic Church is getting in on the scam grant business! Well, people claiming to be from the church are! Here's a variation on the basic scam money transfer email.  You received an email from "Rev.Santini Benzima" of "Église Catholique en France", which is supposedly supported by "ECOWAS", telling you to contact "Rev. Silvian Dechamps".  They just want to GIVE you money...  because you have an email address or bought something at a grocery store.

If it isn't obvious, we'll say it for you: this is a complete scam and fraud.  In some cases, the alleged organizations, like "Église Catholique en France" 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 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.

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Sample actual scam letter from "Église Catholique en France":

From: Église Catholique en France [ catholiquegrant02@gmail.com ]Église Catholique en France .

Date: February 21, 2008

www.cef.fr

Qualification number: CEF-080-2998-2996

The Église catholique en France would like to notify you that you havebeen chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of acash Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and businessdevelopment. The Église catholique en France, established 1977 by the Multi-Million groups and now supported by the Economic Community forWestAfrican States (ECOWAS), United Nations Organization (UNO) and theEuropean 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 ayearlydonation of US$850,000.00 (Eight hundred and Fifty thousand Unitedstatesdollars only) each to 100 lucky recipients. These specificDonations/Grants will be awarded to 100 lucky international recipients worldwide,in different categories.Based on the random selectionexerciseof internet websites and millions of supermarket cash invoices worldwide,you were selected amongst the lucky recipients to receive the award sum ofUS$850,000.00 as charity donations/aid.

You are required to contact the Executive Secretary below,with yourQualification numbers (CEF-080-2998-2996).

FULL NAMES:.........

ADDRESS:............

CITY................

STATE:..............

ZIP:...............

COUNTRY:...........

SEX:...............

AGE:...............

MARITAL STATUS:....

OCCUPATION:........

RELIGON:...........

PHONE NUMBER:........

I _________ HEREBY DECLARE THAT, ALL ABOVE INFORMATION PRODUCED BY ME RE TRUE.

You Are Required To Contact The Secretary Via their email contact email: catholiquegrant@live.com  Executive Secretary: Rev. Silvian Dechamps

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

Regards,

Rev.Santini Benzima.

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