419 scam: "Major James Berry."<james@hotmail.com> james

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- jjjjjjjjames@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Major James Berry." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jammmmmmmmmmmm@i12.com>
Date: Sun, 30 May 2010 03:50:37 -0700
Subject: james

Dear Friend,

My name is Major James Berry. I am an American soldier, serving in the military with the army 3rd infantry division. With a very desperate need for assistance, I have decided to contact you..

I found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to move the sum of (US$15,000,000.000) Fifteen Million United States Dollars to you, as far as I can be assured that my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here, this is no stolen money, and there is no danger involved.

SOURCE OF MONEY:

Some money in various currencies was discovered in barrels at a farmhouse near one of Saddam old palaces in Tikrit-Iraq during a rescue operation, and it was agreed by staff Sgt Kenneth Buff and I that some part of this money be shared among both of us before informing anybody about it since both of us saw the money first. This was quite an illegal thing to do, but I tell you what? No compensation can make up for the risk we have taken with our lives in this hell hole. Of which my brother in-law was killed by a road side bomb
last week.

The above figure was given to me as my share, and to conceal this kind of money became a problem for me, so with the help of a British contact working here and his office enjoy some immunity, I was able to get the package out to a safe location entirely out of trouble spot. he does not know the real contents of the package, and believes that it belongs to a British /American medical doctor who died in a raid here in Iraq, and before giving up, trusted me to hand over the package to his Family in United States.

I have now found a much secured way of getting the package out of Iraq to your country for you to pick up, and I will discuss this with you when I am sure that you are willing to assist me. I want you to tell me how much you will take from this money for the assistance you will give to me. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter with anybody, should you have reasons to reject this offer, please and
please destroy this message as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us soldiers here in Iraq.

I do not know how long we will remain here, and I have been shot, wounded and survived two suicide bomb attacks by the special grace of God, this and other reasons I will mention later has prompted me to reach out for help, I honestly want this matter to be resolved immediately. You may want to go through this site to read what we have been going through here in Iraq .
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090129/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/army_suicides

Please contact me as soon as possible only through this email: jjjjjjjjames@gmail.com with the following details:

Full Name:

Full Address:

Tel/cell numbers:

Occupation:

God Bless you as I look forward to your positive response.

Truly yours,

Major James Berry.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam