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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: "veronica umar" <vronica_umar@yahoo.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: albert_umar2000@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:45:34 +0400
Subject: URGENT RESPOND

Dear ,
Thank you for taking the time to read this mail. My
name is Mrs. VERONICA UMAR KOROMA,from Diamond rich country
district of Bombali in Northern Province of Sierra
Leone. I am the widow of the Late Mr. PAUL KOROMA, the
managing director of Sierra Leone diamond mining
coporation. I am currently living in a refugee center
in London, UK.
My family and I have been unfortunate to find
ourselves caught up in a very difficult situation in
London. I know you will be surprise to receive this
message, but it is of utmost importance to me and my
family.Anyway, I am about to entrust my destiny and
the destiny of my whole dependants on your shoulder if
you can help us, it will also be of immense benefit to
you too. This transaction demands utmost trust,
honesty, integrity and most important, secrecy. It is
only through the above that my family and I will be
assured of our security.This regrettable situation led
to the killing of my husband and only daughter and the
displacement of my family.During the brutal civil war
in my country Sierra Leone, my late husband of blessed
memory was brutally murdered by the rebels led by Mr.
Foday Sankoh,he was murdered with my only daughter
(Nina). But my son ( Cole )and I managed to
escape to UK, through the help of the International
Rescue Committee (IRC).
But before my late husband's death, he drew my
attention to a box containing about twelve million US
dollars ($12 Million) which he smuggled out at the
start of the war to a security company in Spain,
Europe. (The security company does not know the real
contents of the box. He registered it in the name of
my son Greg Koroma as family art and monuments) He
also gave me the certificate of deposit and receipt
issued to him by the security company, which I still
have in my possession.
The problem I have is that as a refugee, the
immigration law does not allow us to open or hold
operate bank account in London and I do not want to
seek the assistance of just anybody for fear of being
duped or defraud of our only livelihood, I have sold
almost all my jewelries to keep body and soul
together, hence the British Government is not really
taking care of us.
What is required of you is to give us your full name
and contact address so that I can secure a Power of
Attorney in your favor that would enable you contact
the security company as the beneficiary of the box.
You can then transfer the funds to your bank account
after the box must have been released to you. In order
to make it worth your while, we will give you a part
of the money. We have also map out 5% of the principal
sum for any expenses that you may incurred during the
transaction process including traveling expenses, we
intend to invest the remaining part of the money on
your advice in any viable business ventures in your
country, you may even act as our financial adviser if
you are so disposed.
If you want to help, you can contact my son ALBERT
Koroma who recent got a job in one of the local firms
in London on this email address(
albert_umar2000@yahoo.com <http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ym/Compose?To=albert_umar2000@yahoo.com&YY=79902&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b> )
I am looking forward to your immediate response, as
I believe that destiny has brought us together.
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. VERONICA UMAR KOROMA
Please visit the following web pages for further
information on the Sierra Leone war:
<http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sl.html>
<http://www.hrw.org/reports98/sierra/>
<http://www.refugees.org/news/crisis/sierraleone/sierraleone_photos.htm>
<http://www.theirc.org/Sierra%20Leone/>
<http://www.infoplease.com/spot/sankoh1.html>



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