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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: "Captain Mark Girland" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <captmarkgirland08@live.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:29:38 -0700
Subject: ( Confidential ) Respond If You Are Interested.

Hello,
 
 
I know this letter will definitely come to you as a huge surprise, but i implore you to take time and go through it carefully as the decision you make will go a long way to determine our future progress and continued existence. I am Capt Mark Girland, a US Marine Capt. serving in the 3rd Battalion, Regiment in Iraq, which Patrols the Anbar province, Iraq.
 
 
I am desperately in need of your assistance and have summoned up courage to contact you.  Please the assistance is that i want you to help me and transfer my own share of money i made from Iraq.
 
 
You can go to this web link to read about events that took place
here:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
 
 
SOURCE OF MONEY:
The money was concealed in a car we discovered at a location where we are patrolling,and the owner is one of Saddam Hussein's top aide,who is fleeing the country to Kuwait. The amount discovered was three hundred and twenty million dollars($320m ) It was agreed by all party present that the money be shared amongst us. This might appear as an illegal thing to do but I tell you what? No compensation can make up for the risks we have taken with our lives in that country.
 
 
The above figure was discovered by me and other of my intelligence officers of American Marine here in Iraq and to conceal this kind of money became a problem for us since we don't have permission to do so , although my own share is thirty six million dollars($36m) so with the help of a German contact working with the UN here (his office enjoys some immunity) i was able to get the money packaged out to a safe location entirely out of trouble spot. He does not know the real contents of the package as he believes that it belongs to an American soldier who died in an air raid, and before giving up, trusted me to hand over the package to his close relative.
 
 
 
 
YOUR ROLE:
I am making an arrangement to move the money($36m) under diplomatic cover to any destination of your choice,so that you will receive it as a package, secure and protected,then pay it into your account and keep my own for me untill my assignment is over,then i will meet and take my own part. From our call of duty roaster,i still have six months to stay here in Iraq.
 
 
YOUR BENEFIT:
If you agree to assist in this situation,you will get 35% of the total sum involved for your assistance while the remaining 65% will be left for me after completing my mission and return home safely.
 
 
NOTE: Please assure me of keeping this topmost secret even if you will not assist,because it will tarnish the image of American Army,and may lead to my loss of job,and i will be court marshalled.
 
 
Awaiting your immediate response to this email:  captmarkgirland08@live.com
 
Respectfully,
I Captain Mark Girland
 

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