419 scam: "Donald King" <donalking4@outlook.com> seeking your assistance!!

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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:
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- "trunk box" (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)
- "hundred thousand united states 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: "Donald King" <donalking4@outlook.com>
Reply-To: donaldking942@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 28 May 2022 06:00:00 -0700
Subject: seeking your assistance!!

Greetings,

I am Donald King a NATO soldier, serving in Syria. During our last rescue mission at Deir ez-Zur, we came across a trunk box that contains a huge amount of money that belongs to the rebels which I believe they use in buying weapons and ammunition, and it was agreed by all Military top officer's present that the money will be shared within us.

Please my colleagues and I, are seeking your assistance to help us receive and invest the funds in your city/ country in any profitable business, in as much as you can assure us that the money will be used properly until we complete our service here. This is no stolen money and there are no dangers involved. We are five military officers who shared the funds each and totaled the sum of $47,500.000.00 (Forty-Seven million five hundred thousand United States dollars). I want to assure you that the fund movement is guaranteed and 100% risk-free.

I do not know for how long we will remain here in Syria, and I have survived two suicide bomb attacks recently, which prompted me to reach out for help. Please if this proposal is acceptable to you, kindly respond back to me and we shall discuss the conditions and terms.

Thank you.

Donald

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam