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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Sgt.Steven Flavell." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <steven_flavell1970@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:43:43 +0200
Subject: From:Sgt.Steven Flavell.

Hello Friend,

How are you and your family? I hope all is well. My name is (Sgt. Steven flavell, I am an American Soldier serving in the military with the army's 3rd infantry division. With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I found your contact particular in an address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to help me clear the sum of ($16.5 Million U.S. DOLLARS) sixteen million five hundred thousand United State dollars which is already in the United State, as far as I can assured that my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here. Source of the money: Some money in various currencies were 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 Spc. Daniel Collier and I that some part of this money be shared among both us before informing anybody about it since both 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 time. You will find the story of this money on the web address below;http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm 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 move the package to United State 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 given up, trusted me to hand over the package to his family. the package was moved to United State with the help of prudent Red Cross Officer who traveled to Washington DC for an official meeting for a war report, and I will discuss this with you when I am sure that you are willing to assist me, and I believe that my money will be well secured in your hand because you have a fear of God. I want you to tell me how much you will take from this money for the assistance you 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 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, please contact me as soon as possible via e-mail which is my way of communication.

God bless you and your family.

Sgt. Steven flavell.
(3rd Infantry Division)

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