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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: "Jerry Jerry" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <joeng1955@msn.com>
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:37:08 +0300
Subject:

Dear Friend,
Permit the manner with which I am seeking your
assistance but I am short of options and have no other
choice.I am Jerry from the West Davis Boulevard (Utah),
an army contractor attached to the US Military force in
Middle East.The reason why I’m explaining my findings
to you is to seek for your assistance to enable you
contribute immensely to the actualization of my dream.
 
I am attached to the US army for the sole purpose of
reconstruction work in some parts of Iraq.
As you very well know, Iraq is gradually undergoing a
rebuilding process in some parts and there is much
need for reconstruction which is were I come in. I
evaluate the level of destruction and offer
professional advice in line with the way they intend
rebuilding.Work has been risky no doubt and
challenging as sometimes we are faced head on with
armed insurgents where we lose some soldiers during
confrontation. I have had my own share of losses as I
lost a friend whom I have known for 12 years.
On the 19Th day of August 2011,at about 1100 hrs
during a normal inspection routine along Haifa Street
where there is long thoroughfare of high-rise
buildings which were built and occupied by the late
Saddam Hussein while he was still alive, I along with
3 soldiers proceeded to a marked site and as I
commenced evaluation work while i was closely guarded
by soldiers, I discovered an unusual bulge in a cellar
which i presumed to be a storage room.
 
I decided to have a go at it only for me to kick the
metal covering and find a metal boxes(6 in number)
piled on top one another which were locked with a
padlock each. Upon forcing the boxes open, we
discovered several guns, amour and some boxes amongst
which two contained bullets, one filled with hard
drugs (heroine) and the other two to my amazement
contained some US Dollars which amounted to $23.2M
after I and two of the soldiers counted them for about
3 hours. I believe the boxes if not owned are linked
to the Iraq-Iran oil smugglers.
I however instructed them to keep this in high secrecy
so that we can have the money to our
selves, they all agreed to the plan and we were going
to get the money out of the country but first we had
to hide the money in some safe and untraceable
location. This made me to consult with a friend in our
force who went with me and the two other officers to
secretly keep the boxes in a safer place after which
we handed over the drugs and the weaponry to our
superiors.
 
I am now in desperate need of a “Reliable and
Trustworthy” person like you who would receive, secure
and protect these boxes containing the US Dollars for
me up on till 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 which is why I intend
to include my picture as well as my I.D.s for you to
know whom you are dealing with.
 
I assure and promise to give you 25% of this fund,
however feel free to negotiate what you wish to have
as your percentage in this deal.
Please assure me of your keeping this topmost secret
within you so that my job would not be
jeopardized.Please contact me through my personal
email address:
 
My Sincere Regards,
Jerry.

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