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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: "SFC. JAMES COLE" <sfc.james.cole@live.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 02:21:56 -0400 (AST)
Subject: PLEASE HELP ME


Hello My Dear Friend,

PLEASE REPLY ME ON THIS EMAIL; sfc.james.cole@live.com

How are you and your family? I hope all is well. My name is (Sfc. 1st
Class) James Cole, I am an American Soldier serving in the military with
the army's 3rd infantry division. With a very desperate need for
assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I found your contact
particular in an address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to
help me clear the sum of ($16.5 Million U.S. DOLLARS) sixteen million five
hundred thousand United State dollars which is already in the United
State, as far as I can assured that my share will be safe in your care
until I complete my service here. Source of the money: Some money in
various currencies were discovered in barrels at a farmhouse near one of
Saddam old palaces in Tikrit-Iraq during a rescue operation, and it was
agreed by Staff Spc. Daniel Collier and I that some part of this money be
shared among both us before informing anybody about it since both us saw
the money first.

This was quite an illegal 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
time. You will find the story of this money on the web address
below;http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm 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 British contact working here, and
his office enjoy some immunity, I was able to move the package to United
State entirely out of trouble spot.

He does not know the real contents of the package, and believes that it
belongs to a British/American medical doctor who died in a raid here in
Iraq, and before given up, trusted me to hand over the package to his
family. the package was moved to United State with the help of prudent Red
Cross Officer who traveled to Washington DC for an official meeting for a
war report, and I will discuss this with you when I am sure that you are
willing to assist me, and I believe that my money will be well secured in
your hand because you have a fear of God. I want you to tell me how much
you will take from this money for the assistance you give to me.

One passionate appeal i will make to you is not to discuss this matter
with anybody, should you have reasons to reject this offer, please and
please destroy this message as any leakage of this information will be too
bad for us soldiers here in Iraq. I do know how long we will remain here,
and I have been shot, wounded and survived two suicide bomb attacks by the
special grace of God, this and other reasons I will mention later has
prompted me to reach out for help, I honestly want this matter to be
resolved immediately, please contact me as soon as possible via e-mail
which is my way of communication.

God bless you and your family.

Sfc. James Cole sfc.james.cole@live.com
(3rd Infantry Division)




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