419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "trunk box" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "trunk boxes" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "can i trust you?" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- cptjohncraigun72@post.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "J. Vincent Craig {UN Peace Force Keeping Syria}"
<user@noteworthymedical.com>
Reply-To: <cptjohncraigun72@post.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 02:59:48 -1200
Subject: mil mail --- can i trust

Hello,My name is Capt. J. Vincent Craig, I am a US Soldier assigned to as a
United Nations military observer in Syria. I am presently serving in the
82nd Airborne Division's, 1-504th PIR Squad, Peace keeping force in Military.

This is my private email, over here in Syria, I'm contacting you on
behalf of my colleagues here, we are honestly seeking for your hands in this
partnership to move this allocation valued {$20.2m and 2 gold bars} into your
custody for safekeeping which are in 2 valuable trunk boxes. I am not
trying to put you into any problem and not in anyway spying on you. I
have planned this delivery for 6months.This money was secretly secured
in the war zone here in Kandahar then moved by my squad to aleppo,

CHECK OUT THE NEWS here for more info:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm if you check the
news you will identify that this particular fund was not declared
among the monies we found at the war zone.

I contacted you primarily in confidence hoping that you can be a
trustworthy person and would also be helpful in a matter like this.

However, due to my present staff commitment and code of conduct in the
US military service (Pentagon) which makes it impossible for me to keep
nor take these along with my belongings back if possibly i would make
the war back to the U.S.A or wherever you are . This is the reason I ask for your hand in
partnership. the question here is CAN I TRUST YOU?

If you can please contact me urgently on my private email

cptjohncraigun72@post.com .

Regards,
Capt. John Vincent Craig.

===============================================================
This e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain PRIVILEGED
or CONFIDENTIAL information and may ONLY be read or used
by the intended recipient.
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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam