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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:

Fraud email example:

From: ben martins <ben_file02@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: <ben_martins104@yahoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:15:40 +0100
Subject: DEAR SIR/MADAM


DEAR SIR/MADAM, HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? HOPE ALL IS WELL.MY NAME IS BEN MARTINS,( SGT 1ST CLASS ) I AM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER, SERVING IN THE MILITARY WITH THE ARMY 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION TROOP I IRAQ. WITH A VERY DESPERATE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE, I HAVE SUMMED UP COURAGE TO CONTACT YOU. I FOUND YOUR CONTACT PARTICULARS IN AN ADDRESS JOURNAL. I AM SEEKING YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE TO MOVE ALLUVIAL GOLD DUST WORHT US$9.7MILLION AND CASH OF $20,000,000.00 MILLION US DOLLARS TO YOUR DESTINATION BELIEVING YOU CAN NOT BETRAY THE TRUST I AM WILLING TO IMPOSE ON YOU AND AT THE SAME TIME, AS FAR AS I CAN BE ASSURED THAT MY SHARE OF THE MONEY AFTER SALES WILL BE SAFE IN YOUR CARE UNTIL I COMPLETE MY SERVICE HERE. THIS IS NO STOLEN GOLD OR STOLEN MONEY RATHER IT WAS A WELL PACKAGED ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN US AND A WELL POSITIONED KING IN IRAQ AND THERE ARE NO DANGER INVOLVED. NOW BELOW IS THE OFFER. COMMODITY---ALLUVIAL GOLD DUST. QUANTITY-----100-875 KG QUALITY------22 KARAT PLUS PRICE--------5,500 US DOLLARS PER KILO
PAYMENT------I ACCEPT AT LEAST 15% OUT OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE SUPPLIED MERCHANDISE IN OTHER TO CATER FOR SOME EXPENSES AND TO DEFRAY PART OF THE PRODUCTION COST, AFTER TESTING AND SUBMISSION OF ALL RELIVANT EXPORT DOCUMENTS AT THE POINT OF SHIPPMENT.

THE US$20 MILLION HAS ALSO BEEN DEPOSITED IN A FINANCE COMPANY AND I WILL OPEN UP ON WHERE THE FINANCE COMPANY THE MONEY WAS DEPOSITED TO YOU UPON YOUR RESPONSE.

THIS GOLD WAS DISCOVERED AT A FARMHOUSE NEAR ONE OF THE SADDAM OLD PALACES IN TIKRIT-IRAQ DURING A RESCUE OPERATION, AND IT WAS AGREED BY STAFF SGT KENNETH BUFF AND I THAT SOME PART OF THIS GOLD INCLUDING THE MONEY BE SHARED AMONG BOTH OF US BEFORE INFORMING ANYBODY ABOUT IT SINCE BOTH OF US SAW THE GOLD AND THE MONEY FIRST AND AFTER SHARING, US$20 MILLION BECAME MY SHARE >FROM THE TOTAL MONEY THAT WE DISCOVERRED. THIS WAS QUITE UNFAIR THING TO DO, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT ? NO COMPENSATION CAN MAKE UP FOR THE RISK WE HAVE TAKEN WITH OUR LIVES IN THIS HELL HOLE. OF WHICH MY BROTHER IN-LAW WAS KILLED BY A ROAD SIDE BOMB LAST WEEK.

WHEN MY SHARE WAS GIVING TO ME, AND TO CONCEAL THIS KIND OF GOLD BECAME A PROBLEM FOR ME, SO WITH THE HELP OF A BRITHISH CONTACT WORKING HERE, AND HIS OFFICE ENJOY SOME IMMUNITY, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE PACKAGE OUT TO A SAFE LOCATION ENTIRELY OUT OF TROUBLE SPOT. I WANT YOU TO TELL ME HOW MUCH YOU WILL TAKE FROM THIS GOLD AFTER SALES FOR THE ASSISTANCE YOU WILL GIVE TO ME. AGAIN, WHAT PERCENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ONCE THE TOTAL CASH MONEY DEPOSITED TRUNK BOX GETS TO YOUR CARE. I HONESTLY WANT THIS MATTER TO BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY,PLEASE CONTACT ME ON MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS AS STATED BELOW AND FURNISH ME WITH YOUR POSTAL AND TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR IMMEDIATE PROCEED OF THE DEAL:
EMAIL: ADD/ ben_martins104@yahoo.fr GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. BEN MARTINS (Sergeant, US Army)
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