419 scam: "Mr. JAMES CATOUN," <jamescatoun50@yahoo.com> Dear beloved friend

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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. )
- "million 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)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
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.
- jamescatoun50@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. JAMES CATOUN," <jamescatoun50@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2014 18:33:35 -0000 (WET)
Subject: Dear beloved friend

Dear beloved friend,

I know that this letter may be a very big surprise to you, I am giving you my trust and wish you
will give me back the trust i have given you.I believe that you will be honest to fulfill my final
wish beffore I will die.

I am Mr. JAMES CATOUN, I am 58 years old, I am suffering from a long time cancer of the blood
.From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my doctors have courageously
advised me that I may not live beyond the next two months, this is because the cancer stage
hasreached a critical stage. I was brought up in a motherless baby's home,and was married to my
late wife for twenty years without a child . My wife and I are true Christians, but quite
unfortunately, she died in a lobourroom so i could not hear the cry of a child in my house Since
her death I decided not to re-marry, I sold all my belongings and deposited all the sum of
$10.2million dollars with a security company , as it was packaged and registered as a personal
Valuable.

Presently, this money is still in their custody, and the management just wrote me as the
Legitimate beneficiary to come forward to receive the Deposit after keeping it for so long or
rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I can not come
over as a result of my illness, Presently,I'm with my laptop in a hospital where I have been
undergoing treatment. I have since lost my ability to walk about or do anything by myself and my
doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live.

It is my last wish to see that this money is invested in any business of your choice and the gain
made every year or 6 months as the case may be,distributed each year among the charity
organization, the poor and the motherless baby's home where I come from. I want your good
humanitarian,to also use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows around, 20% for you I
must let you know that this was a very hard decision, but I had to take a bold step towards this
issue because I have no further option. I hope you will help see my last wishes come true.As soon
as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the security company. I will also issue
you a letter of authority, which will prove that you are the new beneficiary of my funds. Please
assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein,

please get bact to me through this email address. jamescatoun50@yahoo.com

Hope to hear from you soonest

Awaiting your reply

Yours Sincerely
Mr. JAMES CATOUN

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam