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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Captain John Allen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ja986922@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2019 09:10:08 +0800
Subject: Re; CAN YOU BE TRUSTED?.

GREETINGS.
 
I am sorry to encroach into your privacy in this manner, I found your name listed in the Trade Center Chambers of Commerce directory here in Iraq, I find it pleasurable to offer you my partnership in business. I only pray this time that your address is still valid. I want to solicit your attention to receive money on my behalf.
I am Captain John Allen, an officer in the US Army, i am one of the U.S. Army deployed to Iraq in the beginning of the war in 2003, and also a West Point Graduate presently serving in the Military with the 82nd Air Borne Division Peace keeping force in Baghdad, Iraq. I am on the move to Afghanistan from Iraq as the last batch just left, and i really need your help in assisting me with the safe keeping of two military trunk boxes which has just arrived the USA from Iraq. I hope you can be trusted?
Though, I would like to hold back certain information for security reasons for now until you have found time to visit the BBC website news below to enable you have insight regarding what I intend to share with you, believing that it would be of your desired interest in one way or the other. Here is a BBC news listing that confirms what I want to share with you http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm.
Here is also BBC news listing that confirms what I want to share with you http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7444083.stm if you can be trusted, I will explain further when i get a response from you.
Get back to me having visited the above websites to enable us discuss in a more vivid manner to the best of your understanding? I must say that I'm very uncomfortable sending this message to you without knowing truly if you would misconstrue the importance and decide to go public.
In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence of this letter is strictly for mutual benefit of you and I and nothing more. I will be more vivid and coherent in my next email in this regards. Meanwhile, could you send me a mail confirming you have visited the site and understood my intentions? Am standing by for your urgent response now that we are leaving Iraq to Afghanistan.
Yours faithfully,
Best regards.
Captain Allen John.
US ARMY
 

Anti-fraud resources: