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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: "MAJOR DAVID PATRICK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <majordavidpk@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:46:00 -0700
Subject: SECRET/CONFIDENTIAL

Dear Friend,

My name is Major David Patrick, a British Army serving in the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq. I want you to read this mail carefully and understand it.

In 2003, my men and I found over $900 million in Saddam Husein's hideout in Baghdad, we sent some back to the Iraq government after counting it in a classified location, but we also kept some behind for ourselves. Some of the money we shared among ourselves worth over $200million, I kept mine for a while in a secured place.View the below link to verify/confirm my statement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm

I need someone to help me, I found a secured way of getting the package out of Iraq for you to pick up through the help of a UN humanitarian officer on peace keeping. I do not know for how long I will remain here as I have been lucky to survive 2 suicide bomb attacks by Pure Divine intervention.I just need someone I can trust,i lost a box of gold to someone that said he will help me,I won't like to make the same mistake.The total amount of money is $10million.

If you can handle this deal let me know immediately, you will receive 20% of the money , all you need to do is to find a safe place where you can keep the box till i leave Iraq and also keep our communication SECRET/CONFIDENTIAL.Get back to me immediately.

Regards,

Major David Patrick
British Military Baghdad,Iraq.

Anti-fraud resources: