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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: james barry <jamesbarry_17@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <ja_barry01@yahoo.dk>
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 17:18:28 +0000
Subject: MATTER OF URGENCY,NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE.



Dear Friend, Permit the manner with which I am seeking your assistance. I am James Barry from the hospitality state (Mississippi),i am an army contractor attached to the US Military force in Iraq. The reason why I seek your assistance is to enable you actualize my dream. I am attached to the US army for the sole purpose of reconstruction work in some parts of Iraq. As you know very well Iraq is gradually undergoing a rebuilding process On the 27th day of Aug 2007, I and other 3 soldiers proceeded to a marked site and as I commenced evaluation work while i was closely guided my men, I discovered some metal boxes (5 in number) piled on top one another, each with a sign written on them.We then open the boxes forcefully, we discovered several guns and amours, which two contained bullets, one filled with hard drugs, and the other two to my amazement contained some US Dollars and kilograms of alluvial Gold, which we counted and discovered that the money in one of the boxes amounted to $9.2 Million. we believe the boxes is owned and linked to the Al Qaeda and Ayman al-Zawahiri.
I however instructed my men to hide this findings in a secret place, and the boxes containing the money and alluvial Gold where hiden in a safe and untraceable location. after which we handed over the drugs and the weapons to our superiors.
I am now in desperate need of a “Reliable and Trustworthy” person like you who would receive and secure these boxes containing the US Dollars and alluvial Gold until my assignment elapses here. We cannot afford to leave the boxes here in Iraq for any reason since Iraq is getting unsafe and dangerous everyday. We have no idea what could happen next as everything remains inconclusive at this point. I am fully aware of what your thoughts would be next, but on receiving your response, I will send my picture as well as my Identity, for you to know who you are dealing with. I promise to give you 20% of this fund and some quantity of the alluvial Gold, please assure me of your keeping this a topmost secret, so that my job would not be jeopardized. My Sincere Regards,James Barry.
_________________________________________________________________
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