419 scam: Comrade Vahid Armstrong <paulowilliams17@gmail.com> My Distinguished Greetings.

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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:
- "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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Comrade Vahid Armstrong <paulowilliams17@gmail.com>
Reply-To: comradevahid.armstrong@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2021 00:16:43 -0700
Subject: My Distinguished Greetings.

Greetings,

My name is Mr.Comrade Vahid Armstrone, Chief Operating Financial
Officer Burkina Faso Investment bank, It is true that we have not met
each other in person, but I strongly believe in trust and friendship
in every business. As I am contacting you independently of my
investigation and no one is informed of this communication.

My reason for contacting you is to transfer an abandoned sum of
$10.5million Dollars immediately to your private account, the money
has been here in our Bank lying dormant for years now without anybody
coming for the claim of it.

The funds belong to our deceased Customer Mrs.Shannel Lake who
perished along with her family since 9 years ago and the Banking laws
here does not allow such money to stay more than 10 years, that is the
reason why I need your Cooperation in transferring the money to your
account so that we can use it to secure the future of our both
families because I don't want the money to be recalled to the bank
treasury as unclaimed fund.

For the success of this operation, you should keep strictly
confidential what I have just confided in you. Only this condition can
allow us to achieve total success.

Mr. Comrade Vahid Armstrong.
Chief Operating Financial Officer.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam