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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: "Mary" <marymaitama@walla.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: marymaitama555@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 8 May 2006 18:31:45 +0200
Subject:

Dear Sir / Madam,

PLEASE REPLY THROUGH MY ALTERNATIVE EMAIL: marymaitama555@yahoo.com
In my request for a reputable person to engage in a
mutual business relationship, I got your contact
through internet.As introduction, I am the only
surviving daughter of late Chief Mark Maitama, the
paramount chief of Munsha District of SierreLeone
who was killed on January 8 2002, by the
trigger-happy rebels. Most unfortunately for me I
came from a polygamous family, and a student but out
of school because of this problem. During my
father’s lifetime, he was actively engaged in
ILLEGAL MINING AND SALES OF DIAMOND, from where he
made his enormous wealth.
Prior to my father’s death, he left a "WILL" with
his lawyer, which was made available to us upon
Observation and conclusion of burial befitting of my
father. And as the only daughter most of his
properties were willed to me, most importantly is
the sum of US$15M [fifteen million United States
dollars} which he deposited in a private security
company in Soa-Tome & Princepe which has a branch in
Madrid Spain this is also among the inheritance from
my deceased father.

Since introduction of this "WILL" all my father’s
relatives have not been at peace with me, they were
not happy how my father assigned all the enormous
wealth to me. They have systematically and
forcefully collected from me all documents of the
properties "willed" to me. Not including a huge
amount of money in one of the banks in SierreLeone
which they could not withdraw due to a court order
restraining either party from making withdrawals
pending the determination of a litigation filled by
my father’s relations challenging the "WILL"
Now since I am too hard for them the (relatives) to
subdue, they were making attempts to kill me so that
nobody can stop them from carrying out their act, as
they have succeeded in killing my mother last year.
Infact the fear and warning of killing has griped me
so much that I could not bear it anyone, hence I ran
away from our family house to live with a school
mate of mine whose father is a military man, with
advise of my father’s lawyer to safeguard my life
and this US$15 million that was not known to them.
Considering my age and inexperienced in business and
investment procedures, please I want you to help me
in taking good custody of this funds and invest it
in a profitable venture in a country where there is
Economic and political stability.
If you assent to help me in this regard, we shall
then discuss what I will give you in return for your
assistance. And you will be required to sign a
Memorandum of Understanding with me upon which you
shall proceed to the official premises of the
Security Company to take delivery of the funds for
further investment.
Please put into consideration my in capabilities in
some respect, therefore I would prefer all
correspondence to be through Email which is more
secret and confidential, as I can not use my school
mate father’s telephone to avoid jeopardizing my
stay there. Every document concerning these funds is
with me, upon request it will be sent to you.
Should you not be willing to collaborate with me in
this venture, please inform me urgently to enable me
look for another person.
Thanks in anticipation to your positive response.
Yours truly,
MARY MAITAMA
NOTE: PLEASE REPLY THROUGH MY ALTERNATIVE EMAIL:
marymaitama555@yahoo.com



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