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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: "MICHALE GREGORY" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <cpt.michaelgregory@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2018 12:37:59 -0700
Subject: PLEASE CAN I TRUST YOU!

Firstly, before going into details explaining my legitimate purpose of contacting you, I sincerely apologize for intruding into your privacy, especially by contacting you through these means for a deal proposal of this magnitude.  My contact is of good faith with trail of mutual benefiting.
             
Before proceeding further, let me tell you about my noble self, I am Captain. Michael Gregory, US soldier working under the auspices of US military and its allies, NATO for peace – keeping mission here in Syria. Based on the United States legislative and executive decision that we must evacuate Iraq immediately for Syria, Now we are in Syria military base and Our mission is to help beef up terrorist targeted states. Under batch 13 of the combatants, we have observed lots of insurgency and nefarious act of jihads since our batch were deployed by US government with aim of strengthens and consolidating US led strike against ISIS.
 
Furthermore, I believe you will maintain the trust and confidence of what i am about to reveal to you. On the other hand, I want to inform you that I have in my possession the sum of US $3.1 million, which I got from crude oil deal in Iraq.  And i have deposited this money with a Reverend. Barr.William Martins from Turkey, He is attached to Red Cross team that was dispatched for treatment of wounded and casualties soldiers here, informing him that i will direct him whom the money will be delivered to. Now it is under my power to approve whoever comes forth for the money on a serious note with trust.
   
By the grace of God i will invest the money in a good business as soon as I am redeployed, anyway you will advise me on that since I am not a business person. I am an American and an intelligence officer, so I have a 100% authentic means of transferring the money through diplomatic courier service. I just need your acceptance and all will be done.
Where we are now we can only communicate through our military communication facilities that are secured on monitor for any calls, otherwise I could have ask you to send me your number to explain in details to you. I will only reach you through email, because our calls might be monitored, I just have to be sure whom I am dealing with.
I need someone I could deal with on trust that is why I contacted you to work with me as the receiving partner. If you accept, I will put you forward as the beneficiary of the funds and money will be delivering to you, because as a uniformed person I cannot be parading such an amount, so I need to present someone as the beneficiary.
   
I am writing from a fresh email account so if you are interested, do reply to me back, if no response after 3 days I will then search for someone else.
   
If you are interested, then let me know so we can proceed as time is very important to me. I wait for your contact details so we can go into action. In less than 7 days, the money should be in your position and I will come over for my money immediately they redeploy me. You will take 30% of the sum and 70% is for me because I know that nothing goes for nothing, I hope I am been fair to you for your assistance as my receiving partner.
Get back to me urgently, if you are interested in this business deal.
  
Kind regards,
Captain Michael Gregory.

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