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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: "Sgt. James Week." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <xyltone@onet.pl>
Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2018 20:40:57 -0000
Subject: - From: Sgt. James Week -

Hello Friend.

Regarding the good news I wanted to tell you I want you to promise me you will keep it a secret between us for now later we can tell the testimony. I want you to know that ever since I met you, you have been a blessing to me and a big symbol of luck and that is why I want to share this with you. 5 days ago during my peace keeping duty, we encountered a group of terrorist and they attacked us and were exchanging gun fire with us and in the process shot a reverend on his stomach. Immediately I started praying my psalms 91 and became more aggressive shooting at them and they fled. Immediately I rushed the reverend to the medic and the medic took over from there with the treatments.

I went to see him yesterday to know if he would make it and guess what he is alive breathing and seated on his bed, he told me that he is happy I saved him. And I was happy too and started feeling like a hero for saving his life, as I will be your hero baby. He asked me to help him fulfill one last wish because he doesn't know if he would make it back on his feet again, and asked me to promise him that I will respect his wish even in death and I said yes. He told me that he has a fund deposited in bank Atlantique Republic of Benin and he wants to Will the funds to me since he has no sibling or relations, so that through me the less privileged will be blessed, that is what he said. He instructed that 30% of the charity fund will be for me and then the remaining 70% will be used to build up the charity homes.

Right now as I am talking to you his lawyer has documented the agreement and the fund has been Willed to me officially for charity purpose. I see this as a blessing to us because it all happened when I met you. I want you to help me receive the fund over there as my partner. Luckily my assignment here is about to expire in couple of months so as soon as the money has been transferred into your account, I will be coming back home to you immediately so we can put our heads together to do this work. With the look of things I don't think the reverend will survive, as the doctor have said. The reason I want you to receive the funds over there for me as my partner is because of my assignment here presently is very risky as you may know anything can happen in the front of war even though I pray to come back alive but should anything happen to me please use the fund as for the purpose the reverend released it for though you can keep 30%.

The fund needs to be transferred by next week without any delay. Remember what I told you let it be a secret until we have achieved the success, then we can testify of the good news as we start the project. My beloved, this is all I ask my dear.

Kindest Regards
Sgt. James Week.

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