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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: "Sgt Sarah WOODFORD" <info@info.com>
Reply-To: davidbrown@qatar.io
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:59:04 +0100 (CET)
Subject: DID YOU GET MY MAIL?




.S. ARMY USARPAC MEDICAL TEAM
Sgt Sarah WOODFORD

Attention:

I know you will be surprise and skeptical to reply my email base on what
is happening on the internet world today and so one has to be very careful
as scam has taken over the internet today to defraud innocent citizens and
this has made it very difficult for people to believe anything that comes
through the internet but this is a different case. Note that I got your
contact from your Email domain hence the desire to contact you for good
collaboration for this project of mine. If you are willing to show your
honesty and trust, I will be able to trust and work with you. I am an
American and you should be rest assured that I cannot be involved in scam
in any way.
My name is Sgt Sarah WOODFORD, a member of the U.S. ARMY USARPAC MEDICAL
TEAM, which was deployed to Iraq at the beginning of the war in Iraq.
Although the war has ended, to prove this, see the site below for more
information.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/30/iraq-us-troop-withdrawal-celebrations_n_1176330.html
http://dailycaller.com/2011/12/27/as-iraq-war-ends-no-parade-for-troops-is-imminent/

I refused to come along with them though the war has ended. Reason is that
I deposited a Trunk Box with a Security Company in Iraq. As a result of
this, I have to escape and stay behind to make sure that I am able to get
these box out before coming to America, knowingly, that if I am able to
get this done I will live a better life. Please, I want this to be between
You and I since I am at large. To Prove my sincerity, you are not sending
me any money. Because most of this scam is about sending money.
Though, I would like to hold back some information for security reasons
for now until you have found time to visit the BBC website stated below to
enable you have an insight of what I intend sharing with you, believing
that it would be of your desired interest one-way or the other.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
http://www.jonathanforeman.com/military/nyp_iraq/04192003_chest.html
http://www.voanews.com/burmese/archive/2003-04/a-2003-04-20-1-1.cfm (VOA
NEWS)

I wait to hear from you having visited the above website to enable us
discuss in a more clarifying manner to the best of your understanding. I
must say that I am very uncomfortable sending this message to you without
knowing truly if you would misconstrue the importance and decides to go
public. In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence of
this message is strictly for mutual benefit between you and I and nothing
more. I will be vivid and coherent in my next message. Meanwhile, could
you send me an email confirming that you have visited the site and that
you have understood my intentions? I would like you to get back to me with
the following information;

1. Full Name
2. Address
3. Occupation
4. Age

I do not need your telephone number at the moment because I cannot call
you and will not like you to call me too for security reasons, we can only
communicate through email until I leave Iraq.

Thank and waiting for your reply
Yours Faithfully
Sgt Sarah WOODFORD

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