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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: "CAPTAIN ELIZABETH MCNAMARA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <usofficeline@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2015 05:44:51 -0700
Subject: ~<^>~*$ATTENTION! ATTENTION!!ATTENTION PLEASE!!~<^><~^*$

HELLO
MY GREETING TO YOU, I CRAVE YOUR INDULGENCE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS PROPOSAL. AM VERY SELF-RELIANT TO MAKE THIS APPEAL TO YOU SO WE CAN HANDLE  A BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL CHANGE OUR FINANCIAL STATUS.
PLEASE, NOTE AND UNDERSTAND THE FACTS EXPRESSED HERE IS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL. IF YOU MAY GIVE ME THE AUDIENCE TO SHARE MY PERSONAL LIFE WITH YOU DURING MY  MILITARY MISSION IN IRAQ WHICH IS GOING TO BE FRUITFUL AND PROFITABLE TO BOTH OF US FINANCIALLY.
I AM CAPTAIN ELIZABETH MCNAMARA, AN OFFICER IN THE US ARMY AND THE UNIT INTELLIGENCE OFFICER FOR THE 2ND BATTALION, 8TH FIELD ARTILLERY REGIMENT AND PART OF THE 1ST  STRYKER BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM OF THE 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN U.S ARMY ATTACHED WITH THE 1-25 SBCT IN KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN FOR NOBLE PEACE KEEPING FORCE.
I DISCOVERED THIS TWO TRUNK BOXES IN SADDAM'S UNDERGROUND SECRET CHAMBERS, BUT AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF THOROUGH INVESTIGATION, I FOUND OUT THAT THE TWO  TRUNK BOXES DOES NOT BELONG TO ANY EXTERNAL WHICH THERE IS  NO NAME WAS TAGGED TO IT, IN OTHER WORDS, I CAREFULLY KEPT THIS TWO TRUNK BOXES IN A HIDING  PLACE FOR THE PAST 20 MONTHS WITHOUT ANY INTERNAL/EXTERNAL INSTITUTION REFERRING TO IT.
THERE ARE NO  ILLEGAL ACT ON THIS TRANSACTION, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TO FOLLOW THE DUE PROCESS AND MY INSTRUCTION ACCORDINGLY ON HOW TO RECEIVE TWO TRUNK  BOXES.
I AM PRESENTLY IN SERVICE NOW AND I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP IN ASSISTING ME WITH THE SAFE KEEPING OF THIS TWO TRUNK BOXES. I HOPE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED? I WILL  EXPLAIN FURTHER WHEN I GET A RESPONSE FROM YOU. I NEED YOUR COLLABORATION TO STAND AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER REGARDING A SUBSTANTIAL TWO TRUNK BOXES PURPOSES OR OTHERWISE.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH ME, YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT WILL PROMPT ME FOR MORE DETAILS:KINDLY VIEW THIS FOR YOUR RECORDS:
HTTP://NEWS.BBC.CO.UK/2/HI/7444083.STM
NAME:.......
ADDRESS.......
TELEPHONE:.....
COUNTRY:........
OCCUPATION:........
COPY OF DRIVER’S LICENSE:
YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IS HIGHLY REQUIRED SINCE I AM STILL IN ACTIVE SERVICE.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY.
BEST REGARDS,
CAPTAIN ELIZABETH MCNAMARA

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