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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: "Mr Said Mohammad Sammour" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <said.mohammad208@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2013 00:39:43 +0800
Subject: REPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Dear Friend,
My name is Mr Said Mohammad Sammour, born in 1950,and until recently a minister at the ministry of internal affairs in Syria. I was a major General with the Syria Army. I have, along with many other well-placed officials walked out of my duty post to join the fight against the repressive regime. Thousands of innocent people have died because of the greed of Assad and his family.

For years we have lived and cowed in absolute fear under the vice grip of a totalitarian and tyranical government. For too many years the ordinary people of Syria have suffered. However since the Arab spring, the people of Syria have risen in protest and civil disobedience to call for freedom and democracy for our country. But very sadly these peaceful protests have been visited with a heavy handed response leading to killings of unarmed men, women and children. Today Syria is on the world stage for all the wrong reasons, thousands of innocent, harmless people have been killed and the whole world lives as witnesses. My country is sadly at war and the dictator with his family would rather see us destroyed than give up his high office.

I have worked and served the Syrian people for decades in the hope that perhaps, if not my children, then my grand children will one day live in a free and democratic Syria. And for those years I have served diligently while the autocratic dictator, his sons and cronies have enriched themselves with hundreds of millions of dollars spread around the world.

As a very senior ranking official I was recently provided with a huge sum of money and specifically delegated to procure arms and mercenaries to fight against the ordinary peace loving citizens of Syria. Because of its purpose the money is untraceable. I cannot and will not do this. I have taken the entire sum out now through Turkey but it will not be used for such evil. Instead I want to keep it safely abroad and possibly invest it until peace and freedom returns to Syria and the present government is ousted. If you kindly offer to help me you will be helping to save lives. And I will be very willing to give up 30% of the funds to you in exchange.

An aide and patriot was able to get the funds through Turkey and then to the United Kingdom.Unfortunately my aide can only stay in the UK for a couple of days so he has engaged the services of a security firm which will hold the funds until they are cleared.

I humbly besiege you to join hands with me to make this a reality for the sake of freedom and the long suffering people of Syria.
May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you.

Regards,
Mr Said Mohammad Sammour.
said.mohammad208@gmail.com

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