This supposed offer of 850,000 euros in EU funding is nothing more than a scam, warns our cooperation partner Watchlist Internet.

Fake email about alleged EU funding?

The fake email claims that you have been selected to receive a generous grant of €850,000 from the European Development Fund Commission. Apparently you can easily apply for this funding by email by sending a message to Mr Lewis Van Graan (europa-fonds@europa.com) and providing some personal details such as your name, address and telephone number.

Screenshot of fake email/watchlist internet
Screenshot of fake email/watchlist internet

We are pleased to announce that you have been selected to receive a grant
of €850,000 from the Commission of the European Development Fund
.
Congratulations! The code for your application is (EU/SAN/9500/2023). To apply for the funds you must send the following information by email to
our European Development Fund representative, Mr Lewis Van Graan
(europa-fonds@europe.com).
Full Name: Email: Address: Age: Occupation: Reference Claim Code: Telephone Number: Country.

This program was developed and promoted by the Commission Agency for the European
Development Fund for entrepreneurs, expanding companies, start-ups and
individuals with innovative ideas.
More than 2 million people across Europe have benefited from this campaign.

All grants must be applied for by August 15, 2023 at the latest.
After this date, the entire fund will return to the EU treasury as unspent funds
. Don't forget to include your reference request code in all emails.

Greetings
Niklas Behnke
European Commission
European Development Fund
Email: europa-fonds@europe.com

Don't answer because criminals are demanding payments

Our urgent advice is: do not respond to this fraudulent email! If you respond, you are playing right into the hands of the criminals, as they will then ask you to transfer money. They claim that you must first pay taxes or other fees before you can access the promised money.

But this is a deception! These demands for money will continue as long as you are willing to pay. In addition, it is likely that the fraudsters will also ask for copies of your ID in order to misuse them for further fraudulent activities on your behalf.

It is extremely important that you never send copies of your ID. If you are still forced to do this, we recommend that you watermark the copy indicating the date, recipient and intended use. Here you will find helpful tips on how to create watermarks to better protect your data.

How to recognize fraudulent letters

  • Question every message you receive: Why would someone offer you money unsolicited? Is this procedure even common? How do the senders even find out about you? What do you have to do with the senders? – If you cannot find reasonable answers to these questions, it is most likely a scam. Criminals send such messages indiscriminately to countless email addresses.
  • Personal information / ID copies: A clear sign of fraud - A fraudulent email usually becomes obvious when you are suddenly asked to transfer money, pass on personal information or send copies of ID. Be extremely careful when faced with such requests as it is most likely a scam.
  • Internet Research: Helpful Hints – If you have a strange feeling, you should search the suspicious message or subject on the Internet. Enter text snippets with the addition of “scam,” “fraud,” or “fake.” You may already be warned and find information that can help you assess.

You have transferred – what now?

If you have already made payments to the fraudsters, contact your bank immediately. It is possible that the money can still be claimed back. We also recommend that you file a police report.

Conclusion

Scammers are always finding new ways to take advantage of people.
This makes it all the more important to be careful. Remember that the European Commission does not offer grants in this way and always be skeptical if you receive unexpected financial offers. Share this information to warn others about similar scams.

Source:

Watchlist Internet

This might also be of interest:
Fact check: Widow's pension, citizen's benefit and claims of foreign citizens
Private sales on online platforms: How fraudsters rip off people with the “DPD scam”
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