419 scam: "Sergeant Wood"<mikewood4456@yahoo.com.sg> Reply Asap!

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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:
- "million american 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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Sergeant Wood" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sergeantmikewood@yahoo.com.sg>
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2015 15:47:38 -0400
Subject: Reply Asap!

Greetings

I am Sergeant Mike Wood, i work as a Logistic Engineer with the United States Marine here in Kandahar city of Afghanistan.I am contacting you to seek your discreet assistance.On the course of our normal routine chek I and my fellow soldier in the same division ,last month,discovered,
a pair of cement sheds filled with metal boxes,containing $42 million American dollars in all.
Out of patriotism, we showed the cash to my senior officer in charge of our Unit and we shared the loot,I got $14million American Dollars as my share. i have deposited this funds with red cross agent here as military consignment, i will need your assistance in receiving the funds,as a uniformed man,
i am not allowed to parade such huge some without being questioned,
but i have a hundred percent authentic means of transporting the funds to Europe through red cross jet which has its own immunity because of the nature of its job, please if you are ready to assist, please provide me your telephone number to further discuss this business if i happen to be out of military network.

Please if not interested, please delete this message, i am writing from a fresh email address for security reason, you should know as a trained military man, i will always play safe, if after some day i did not get a response from you, i will go ahead and seek another person's assistance, i look forward to doing business with you.
Once i receive your positive reply i will furnish you with all details.Looking forward to your urgent reply

Thank you
Sergeant Mike Wood

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam