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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.Raymond Williams" <dr.godwinemefie1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sgt.raymondwilliams@mail.ru
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2022 22:07:50 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,

I am Sergeant Raymond Williams, with the U.S Army unit in Al-Tanf,
Syria for advisory, training, and supporting the Syrian Democratic
Forces fighting the Islamic State. I am contacting you for an urgent
transaction of $5.8 Million United States Dollars. I am soliciting for
your confidential cooperation to help me receive the funds packaged in
box through a United Nations Diplomatic Agent.

I appreciate the fact that we are strangers for now but knowing that
all relationships start as strangers to friendship when there is trust
and sincerity, please note that trust is very essential in all
dealings.

What I am about to share with you is a top secret which you are not
expected to tell anyone, for my own sake. I am presently in a remote
village which makes it difficult for me to always have access to the
Internet; my troop found a huge amount of money in containers worth
Millions of U.S dollars. The money was hidden in a warehouse searched
by my troop, though my commanding officer did not declare the funds to
the Syrian Government as we agreed to keep and share among ourselves,
I was able to secure $5.8 Million U.S dollars as my share.

I want to entrust these funds to you until I am out of our station
here in Al-Tanf, Syria. My wife would have taken responsibility for
this but I lost her to cancer about three years ago. I want to have a
very peaceful retirement, maybe get married again. I would reward you
with 40% of the funds for your assistance and confidentiality between
us and I can as well invest in any lucrative business you may advise
under your care. All I want is the safety of the funds with you till I
come over. I have packaged the funds in a box believing I would leave
Syria this month before I was chosen by my commanding officer to
remain here till November, 2021. I need you to help me receive the box
that contains the funds and keep it in your custody pending when I
will leave Syria.

The United Nations shuttle flight departs from Syria once a week. So,
if you are willing to help me secure the funds, I will make the
necessary arrangements on how to get the box delivered to you through
the United Nations Diplomatic Agent. All I want from you is your
cooperation and assurance that my own share of the funds will be safe
with you.

So, if you agree to help me receive the box, then I will finalize
arrangements with the diplomat and get back to you. I will give him
your contact information that you shall be providing me to enable him
to contact you immediately on his arrival.

So, I want you to provide me with your information as listed below;

Your full name:
Your Address:
Your phone number:

CONFIDENTIALITY;
Note that the diplomat will not be aware of the real content of the
box as money for security reasons; please you must maintain this
status. I will inform the diplomat that the box contains my personal
effects that I want to get across to you, my friend.

My confidence and trust in you should not be betrayed. So, I would
need your absolute honesty. Thanks for your understanding and
cooperation in advance.

Waiting to receive your information.

Regards,
Sgt. Raymond Williams

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