419 scam: "Capt. John Lewis" <j66559@gmail.com> REPLY URGENT

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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:

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:
- "with your full names" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Capt. John Lewis" <j66559@gmail.com>
Reply-To: j66559@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 07:48:35 -0800
Subject: REPLY URGENT

Good day Brethren,

I apologize to encroach into your privacy in this manner, I got your
contact from the Trade Center Chambers of Commerce directory here in
Iraq, I find it pleasurable to offer you my partnership in business
and i pray at this time that, your e-mail contact address is still
valid.

I write to solicit your attention to receive money on my behalf. I am
Capt John Lewis, an officer in the US Army, and also a West Point
Graduate presently serving in the Military with the 82nd Air Borne
Division Peace keeping force in Baghdad, Iraq and 1 am on the move to
Afghanistan from Iraq.

The last batch just left, and i really need your help in assisting me
with the safe keeping of two military trunk boxes containing the sum
of Sixty-Five Million United States Dollars (US$65,000,000:00) cash
which was moved from Baghdad, Iraq to the Indonesia, through a
special arrangement with the US RED CROSS service.

Kindly view this news blog below for more info.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm

I had to make this research and contact you, because i do not have any
family back in the U.S before i joined the army and it will be
difficult for me to move such funds all alone to the United States.
Please assure me of your keeping this topmost secret to protect my job
with the US Monitoring and Peace-Keeping mission and kindly furnish me
with your full names, occupation, direct phone and any form of your
ID.

Regards,
Capt John Lewis

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam