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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: "Elbert Burnett Douglas" <eparhiya@selena.kherson.ua>
Reply-To: sgtelbertburnett009@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:07:34 +0200
Subject: Good Day


Dear Friend,

My name is Elbert Douglas Burnett (Sarge) I am an American soldier serving in
the military with the 3rd army infantry division here in Iraq. I am in a
desperate need of your urgent assistance. I have summed up courage to contact
you towards assisting me on my quest. I found your particulars (email) in an
International email list directory from the Internet here in Iraq and decided
to
contact you to assist me move the sum of ($25 Million U.S. Dollars) Twenty
Five
Million United States Dollars to you in your country of origin or any location
of your choice. But I need to be assured that my share will be kept safe in
your
care until I complete my service here in Iraq.

Some money in various currencies were discovered in barrels at a farm house
near one of Late Saddam Hussein's old palaces here in Tikrit-Iraq, during a
rescue operation. It was agreed by Staff Sargent Joey Jones and myself and
some
other officers that part of this money be shared among us before informing
anybody about it and turning it over to the troop, since we were the first to
discover this money. Though this was quite an illegal thing to do as an army
officer, 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 time and many other American soldiers.

The above figure was given to me as my share and to conceal this kind of money
became a problem for me, so with the help of a red cross officer working here
in
Iraq whose office enjoy some immunity, I was able to get the package out to a
safe location entirely out of trouble spot as a personal effect of my late
brother in-law. The red cross officer does not know the real content of the
package and believes that it belongs to my brother in-law who died by a road
side bomb blast here in Iraq and before giving up, entrusted me to hand over
the
package to his family in the United States.

I have now found a very safe and secured way of getting the package out of
Iraq
through Jordan so you can pick it up anywhere and I will discuss this with you
when I am sure that you are willing to assist me. I believe that my money will
be well secured in your hand because I feel you have the fear of God at heart
and that you can be trusted. I intend to part away with 40% of this money as
your share for assisting me conclude this project if we eventually come to a
reasonable agreement. You should also assure me that this issue will not be
discussed with any other person and will be kept as top secret. Should you
have
any reason to reject this offer, please and please delete this message for any
leakage of this information will be too bad for us soldiers here in Iraq.
I am not certain how long it will take before I am discharges from here in
Iraq. I have been shot twice, wounded and survived two suicide bomb attacks by
the grace of God. This and other reasons earlier mentioned has prompted me to
reach out for help by contacting you. I honestly want this issue resolved
immediately. Please contact me as soon as possible.

Best Regards,
Elbert Douglas Burnett (Sarge)


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