419 scam: "sgt. paul phillips"<sgtpaul.phillips903@live.com> I seek your consent!

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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "sgt. paul phillips" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sgtpaul.phillips903@mail.mn>
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 08:42:08 +0100
Subject: I seek your consent!

Dear Beloved

THREE TO FOUR DAYS TRANSACTION WITH HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY

I am sgt paul phillips from london -uk who was once in iraq in the year 2003-2006 fighting for the nations as well as protecting life and property from the hands of terrorist/Alqaeda all over the world but now in london working together with the united nations,anyway My colleague and moved some funds found in Saddam Hussien dug-house worth of 5.5m inside two trunks boxes and now the trunks has being with a security company in Europe,i will like you to know that i am seeking for your assistance to assist me to claim the trunks as the beneficiary and will get %50 out of the total funds for your services while i and my colleague will share %50,without much time wasted,i will like you to take away any fear or skeptism of any kind in this transaction because its %100 risk free,i will send more information to you about the way forward once i hear back from you.
Thanks for accepting my proposal.
Yours truly.
Sgt.Paul Phillips.

N:B: I sgt paul phillips will never mislead or betray you in anyway,if i do let i and family perish,what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and looses its soul.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam