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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: "Silvester Branson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <silvesterbranson@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:48:14 -0700
Subject: CALL ME PLEASE

Hello,
You are to read this message with all your sincerity and make sure you understand me.This is not one of the messages you receive everyday.These are the words of a Soldier and my word is my life and the bond of my existence.First i would like to introduce myself to you.
I am Sgt Sylvester Branson and i am a member of NATO-ISAF Task Force and Provincial Reconstruction Troops in Southern Afghanistan..
Based on the United States legislative and executive decision of pulling our troop out of here soon, i have decided to contact you for this business opportunity and relationship.I want to inform you that I have in my possession the sum of $14.5 million USD, which I made from crude oil deals in the middle east.
I want to invest the money in a real estate business or any business that guarantees me of financial safety.Anyway you will advice me on that since I am not a business person.I am solely interested in making a life for my two daughters and therefore i shall require the service of a person who is trustworthy and sincere and i am going to allow you absorb the money into your company while we have a memorandum of understanding on a later date for the money to be liquidated and then the proceeds shared between us at a percentage of %40 for you and %60 for me.
I contacted you after many thoughts.Our operation here is getting tough and anything can happen to me.I wanted to wait after our service here but who knows what will happen tomorrow as the life of a soldier is not certain especially in this jungle.This is the reason i made up my mind to locate somebody abroad whom i can establish a business relationship with and invest the money with him.Please note that we are not allowed to parade such amount of money as uniformed men and this is the reason i need a partner like you to absorb the money into your company and release it at an agreed date according to the dictates of the MOU we shall prepare between us.
If you accept, I will put you forward as the beneficiary of the funds and transfer the money to you.The methods of the transfer is guaranteed and you should have nothing to worry about that.All i need is your sincerity and willingness to undertake this with me and it is done.
If you are interested, then let me know so we can proceed as time is very important to me. I wait for your contact details so we can go into action. In less than seven working days, the money should have been in your position. Get back to me urgently, if you are interested in this business deal.
Kind regards,
Sgt Sylvester Branson

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