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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: "Paul Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ttss752006@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:26:09 -0800
Subject: Business Letter

Greetings,

I know you would be surprised to read from someone relatively unknown to
you before. My name is Sgt. Paul Smith, a member of the U.S. ARMY
USARPAC Medical Team, which was deployed to Iraq in the beginning of the
war in Iraq. I would like to share some highly personal classified
information about my personal experience and role which I played in the
pursuit of my career serving under the U.S 1st Armored which was at the
fore-front of the war in Iraq.

Though, I would like to hold back certain information for security reasons
for now until you have find the time to visit the BBC website stated below
to enable you have insight as to what I'm intending to share with you,
believing that it would be of your desired interest one-way or the other.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm

Also, could you get back to me having visited the above website to enable
us discuss in a more clarifying 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 decides to go
public. In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence of
this message is strictly for mutual benefit of you and I and nothing more.

I will be vivid and coherent in my next message in this regards,
meanwhile, could you send me a mail confirming you have visited the site
and that you have understood my intentions? I will await your thoughts.

Thanks,

Best Regards

Sgt. Paul Smith .

Anti-fraud resources: