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Scam Money Transfers - Fake Grants: Shell Foundation - ECOWAS

Scam Money Transfers - Fake Grants
Example
- Shell Foundation- ECOWAS
Joanne Chandler, Mr. Ed Wolferson

Here's a variation on the basic scam money transfer email.  You received an email from "Joanne Chandler" of "Shell Foundation", which is supposedly supported by "ECOWAS", telling you to contact "Mr. Ed Wolferson".  They just want to GIVE you money, as long as you use a part of help to develop the environment.

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 "Shell Foundation" 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.


Sample actual scam letter from "Shell Foundation":

From: Shell Foundation [ hsfuk@mchsi.com ]
Subject: NOTICE OF GRANT AWARD (Ref Nr: G8/EU/2222/07G)
To: blank
Date: April 18, 2007

NOTICE OF GRANT
SHELL INTERNATIONAL LTD ,
SHELL FOUNDATION ,
LONDON SE1 7NA, UNITED KINGDOM
http://www.shellfoundation.org

Ref Nr: G8/EU/2222/07G

Dear Donation Beneficiary,

NOTIFICATION OF DONATION/GRANT

The Shell Foundation United Kingdom, 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 Shell Foundation United Kingdom, established 2000 by the Shell 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.

To celebrate the 6th anniversary program, the Shell Foundation United Kingdom in conjunction with the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), United Nations Organization (UNO) and the European Union (EU) is giving out a yearly donation of £ 40,000,000 GB Pounds (Forty Million Great Britain Pounds Sterlings ) to 20 lucky recipients. These specific Donations/Grants will be awarded to 20 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 Shell Foundation United Kingdom, has been assured of highest organizational 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 over the continent. 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 £ 2,000,000 GB Pounds ( Two Million Great Britain Pounds Sterlings) as charity donations/aid from the Shell Foundation United Kingdom, ECOWAS, EU and the UNO in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament. (Note that all beneficiaries email addresses were selected randomly from over 100,000 internet websites or a shop's cash invoice around your area in which you might have purchased something from).

You are required to fill the form below and email it to our Chief Financial Officer below for documentation and processing of the remittance of your grant. After contacting our office with the requested data, you will be given your donation pin number, which you will use in collecting the funds. Please endeavor to quote your Qualification numbers (G8-222-6747, EU-900-56) in all correspondence.

===========================================

FULL NAMES:

ADDRESS:

COUNTRY:

SEX:

AGE:

MARITAL STATUS:

OCCUPATION:

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

===========================================

SEND ALL YOUR CLAIMS AND INQUIRIES TO

Mr. Ed Wolferson
Chief Financial Officer,
Shell Foundation.
Email: edwolferson_financeoffice@yahoo.co.uk 

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 Economic community for West African States (ECOWAS), European Union (EU), under delegated powers from the United Nations Organization (UNO). This means that your qualification number will be reffled 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.

Regards.

Joanne Chandler

Grants Co-ordinator