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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: marykobe06@yahoo.com.au
Reply-To: marykobe_011@bonbon.net
Date: 16 Jul 2006 22:07:56 -0500
Subject: Re: consider please

ATTN: Dearly Beloved,





This communication to you is strictly

confidential, with due respect. Sorry at this

perceived confusion or stress you may have receiving

this letter from me, Since we have not known ourselves

or met previously. Despite that, I am constrained to

write you this letter because of the urgency of it.By

way of self introduction, I am Mrs. Mercy Mitileshi, the wife

of late Brigadier - Gen.Maxwell Kobe former ECOMOG

ARMY COMMANDER [West African peacekeeping force in

Sierra Leone] who died in the Sierra Leone civil

disturbance [War]. My three daughters and I are

trapped in obnoxious custom and traditional norms.





We have suffered maltreatment and untold hardship in

the hands of my late husband's family, simply because

I did not bear a male child [heir apparent] for my

late husband. By tradition, all that my late husband

had! , [wealth] belongs to his brothers/family. And

myself is to be remarried by his immediate younger

brother which I vehemently refused. They have taken

all that I suffered with my husband to acquire

including treasures, houses and his bank particular

seized by them. I wanted to escape to the United State

of America [USA} with my children on exile, but again

they conspired and stole my international passport and

other traveling document to further frustrate me.

In spite of all i have succeded in fleeing to the U.K where

i have sought for political asylum.





Thank God, 2 weeks ago, I received Key Text Code

[KTC} from a Security & Finance Company abroad, that

my late husband maintains a saftey deposit box of high

value with this company and i am the next of kin sotherefore

i should make necessary arrangements to come for the claim

of the box.

Apparently due to my present situation i am not able to

secure the safety box on my own this is because i am very

limited in my capacity to do so.





It has therefore, become very necessary and

urgent to contact someone, a foreigner like you to

help me receive/secure the consignment

while i make arrangements for my kids to come over to the U.K

to meet with me and from there we shall all proceed to meet

with you in your country.





The consignment was kept on an "OPEN BENEFICIARY MANDATE"

with the Security Company to avoid detection, seizure

or diversion. I have had several telephone discussions

with the Assistant Director of the security company,

who has expressed willingness to help me on meeting the

company's demands. This is why I have

contacted you to help save my children and I,

receive/secure the safety box on our behalf. But, you

would need to give me sufficient assurance that if you help me,

you would not divert its contents which i will reveal to you

as this is an information known only to me and no one else.





My children and I have resolved

to give you a certain percentage for your honest assistance

to us and i shall open up to you as i have to be careful

for this is the only way i and my children stand to live

better lives.





This is all my children and I have got to live on.

Please! , I have reposed my confidence in you and hope

you will not disappoint me. I look forward to your

urgent response, including your private phone / mobile

No and also your fax no for easier communication.





NB: The secret codes (e.g Pin No., Secret Access Code)

for the box are safely kept with me which I will give

you as soon as you express desire to help me.





Stay blessed.

MRS. MARY KOBE.





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