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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: "John Coleman" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <BLAUWER.WB1@emailn.eu>
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:14:37 -0700
Subject: [Spam]Can i work with you?

Hello.

Thank you very much for your answer. Honestly i do not know you or met you before , I contacted you in confidence that you will be of help. My name is John Coleman. I am a Red Cross doctor working with doctors without borders (MSF), currently in a secret hospital here in Ukraine.

It is good to let you know that I have USD 4.2 million cash which I hide in a red cross box. I got this money during the war with Russia and I want to invest the money in your country that is why I want to buy your house and the only way this money can reach you is through diplomatic means please I want you to help me receive the money and take the money for the house including the 20% of the money for helping me and keep the remaining balance safe for me till I come because I will use it to start a hospital project.

I really need your help in this situation because this money cannot continue to stay in Ukraine, it might get into the wrong hands who will use it to buy weapons and kill innocent people . If you help me to receive this money and hide till i come , both of us will benefit and we will put this money to good use . I do not have contact in your country and for this reason, I contacted you since I will be coming there to live after my contract is over in 2 months time. Believe me this is 100% risk free for you and me .

I contacted you because I have the opportunity now to move out the box from here through a Red Cross jet that brought medical equipment , and that red cross jet will fly back to Europe/Asrica in few days time, and so I want to use the opportunity as I don't know when another Red Cross jet will fly to Europe/Africa from here. If you accept to help me receive this box and hide it in safe place till I meet you, I will go to a red cross Agent here in Ukraine to register the money as Category B Non-inspection humanitarian red cross cargo and transport the money as red cross cargo to Europe/Africa with the help of that Red Cross jet that will flies to Europe/Africa.

The Red Cross Agent here in Ukraine will give me the contact of his colleague in Europe/Africa who will pick the cargo from the airplane and deliver the cargo to your address with his immunity which is legal and safe for both of us. Receiving this cargo from the Red Cross Agent is legal. It is not money laundering because the cargo has been registered under the red cross organization as Category B Non-inspection red cross humanitarian cargo.

Please if you are interested in receiving this money on my behalf, I will send you all the details you need to know for the delivery . I believe I can trust you. Where I am now in a secret hospital we can only communicate through the Red Cross communication facilities which only permit me to send Emails and be rest assured that our deal is safe.

I wait for your fast response so we can go on. In less than 3 days the money should have been noted on your care then i will give you further details upon hearing from you . You will take 20% of the money for your help including money for your property, and you will hide 80% of the sum for me till I come. If you cannot start the project, I hope I am fair on this deal.

Best Regards,
John Coleman

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