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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 Paula González" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paulagonzalez@kakao.com>
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2021 05:08:53 -0700
Subject: RE: MUTUAL INTEREST

Dear Friend,
 
Good day and compliments, I know this letter will definitely come to you as a surprise, but I implore you to take the time to go through it carefully as the decision you make will go off a long way to determine my future and continued existence. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Sgt Paula González, in 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division here that Patrols the Helmand Province, Afghanistan. I am desperately in need of assistance and I have summoned up courage to contact you.
 
I am presently in Afghanistan and I found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your assistance to evacuate the sum of $26m (Twenty-Six Million United States Dollars) to you, as far as I can be rest assured that it will be safe in your care until I complete my service here. This is no stolen money and there are no dangers involved.
 
SOURCE OF MONEY:
 
Some money in US DOLLARS was discovered and concealed in barrels at a location in Helman Province when we conducted a foot patrol, and it was agreed by all party present that the money be shared among us. This might appear as an illegal thing to do but I tell you what? No compensation can make up for the risks we have taken with our lives in this hellhole. 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 Canadian contact working with the UN here (his office enjoys some immunity) I was able to get the package out to a safe location entirely out of trouble spot. He does not know the real contents of the package as he believes that it belongs to an American who died in an air raid. Who before giving up, trusted me to hand over the package to his close relative.
 
I have now found a secured way of getting the package out of Afghanistan for you to pick it up. I do not know how long I will remain here, as I have been lucky to survive 2 suicide bomb attacks by Pure Divine intervention. This and other reasons put into consideration have prompted me to reach out for help. If it might be of interest to you then Endeavor to contact me immediately and we would work out the necessary formalities, but I pray that you discreet about this mutually benefiting relationship.
 
I promise to give you 40% of the total sum as your own share and 60% for me. I hope I am been fair on this deal?
 
The only telephone access we have here is radio message which is for our general use and is being monitored; therefore, all communication will be via email till we finish our assignment. Please keep it to yourself even if you are not interested.
 
Respectfully,
Sgt Paula González,
United States Soldier: Afghanistan

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