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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: MRS 01 <mrs_e01@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2006 02:38:24 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: URGENT ASSISTANCES


DEAR FRIEND,

THROUGH THE COURTESY OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, I TAKE LIBERTY ANCHORED ON A STRONG DESIRE TO SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE ON THIS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND RISKFREE TRANSACTION WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL GIVE YOUR URGENT ATTENTION.

I AM MRS.ELIZABETH LADAWA MOBUTU, THE WIDOW TO LATE PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE-SEKO OF ZAIRE NOW KNOWN AS DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC).I AM MOVED TO WRITE YOU THIS LETTER, THIS WAS IN CONFIDENCE CONSIDERING OUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCE AND SITUATION.

I HAD ESCAPED ZAIRE (OUR HOME COUNTRY) WITH MY LATE HUSBAND – MOBUTU ALONG WITH OUR STEP-SON, DANIEL MOBUTU SESE-SEKO TO BURKINA-FASO, WHERE MY FAMILY AND I SETTLED, WHILE WE LATER MOVED TO SETTLE IN MORROCO WHERE MY HUSBAND DIED OF PROSTATE CANCER. SINCE THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF MY HUSBAND IN RABAT, MOROCCO SOME YEARS AGO WE HAVE RETURNED BACK TO BURKINA-FASO ON TEMPORARY POLITICAL ASYLUM.

HOWEVER DUE TO OUR POLITICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF CONGO (ZAIRE) IN WHICH THE FORMER HEAD OF STATES MR. LAURENT DESIRE KABILA MADE SOME DIPLOMATIC PLANS WITH THE SWISS GOVERNMENT AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO FREEZE ALL MY LATE HUSBAND'S TREASURES DEPOSITED IN SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, HENCE I DECIDED TO COME BACK TO BURKINA-FASO WITH MY SON IN ORDER TO WATCH THE CONGO POLITICAL CLIMATE DIE DOWN TILL WHEN THINGS COULD GET BETTER.

THE SITUATION NOW IS OK, SINCE PRESIDENT KABILA IS DEAD, EVENTHOUGH HIS SON (JOSEPH KABILA) TOOK OVER THE GOVERNMENT. ONE OF MY HUSBAND'S CHATEAU IN SOUTHERN FRANCE WAS CONFISCATED BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND AS SUCH I HAD TO MAKE A CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP TO MY NAME CONCERNING THE FUND MY HUSBAND DEPOSITED IN A SECURED COMPANY BEFORE IT COULD BE TRACED AND CONFISCATED AS WELL. HOWEVER, THE FUND IS SAFELY CONCEALED IN A STRONG METALIC BOX AND DEPOSITED AS A FAMILY PROPERTY WITH THE COMPANY AS THAT IS DONE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE COMPANY NOR EVEN THE GOVERNMENT FROM KNOWING THE REAL SOURCE.WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO NOW IS TO INDICATE YOUR INTEREST THAT YOU WILL ASSIST ME AND MY STEP SON BY COMING TO MEET US PHYSICALLY HERE WHERE WE WILL PLAN ON HOW TO RETREIVE THE CONSIGNMENT FROM THE COMPANY AND DEPOSIT THE FUND INSIDE A BANK ACCOUNT THAT WOULD BE OPENED IN YOUR NAME IN ONE OF THE LEADING BANKS HERE IN OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO.

THE KIND OF BANK ACCOUNT REQUIRED FOR THIS PROJECT CAN EITHER BE PERSONAL, COMPANY OR AN OFFSHORE ACCOUNT THAT YOU HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OVER; YOUR PROFESSION OR AREA OF SPECIALIZATION WILL NOT BE A HINDRANCE TO THE SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THIS TRANSACTION.

ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MESSAGE, SO THAT I CAN INTRODUCE YOU TO MY STEP SON AS OUR FOREIGN PARTNER WHO SHALL TAKE CHARGE OF OUR INVESTMENT ABROAD WHERE WE NOW PLAN TO SETTLE AFTERWARDS. I WANT YOU TO ASSIST US IN INVESTING THIS MONEY, BUT I WILL NOT WANT OUR IDENTITY REVEALED. I WILL ALSO WANT TO BUY PROPERTIES AND STOCKS IN MULTI-NATIONAL COMPANIES AND TO ENGAGE IN OTHER SAFE AND NON SPECULATIVE INVESTMENTS IN YOUR COUNTRY.

MY FAMILY HAVE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF POLITICAL AND HEALTH TURMOIL SINCE THE LAST FEW YEARS NOW, HENCE I WILL NEED YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ASSISTANCE. MAY I AT THIS POINT EMPHASIZE THE HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENTIALITY WHICH THIS BUSINESS DEMANDS AS I HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT BETRAY THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE WHICH WE REPOSE IN YOU. I SHALL PUT YOU IN THE PICTURE OF THIS BUSINESS, I.E TELL YOU WHERE THE FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY BEING MAINTAINED, HOW TO RETREIVE SAME AND ALSO DISCUSS OTHER MODALITIES INCLUDING REMUNERATION FOR YOUR SERVICES AFTER WHEN THE MONEY GETS TO YOUR COUNTRY.

PLEASE KINDLY INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TO FORM A FOREIGN PARTNER TO THE TRANSFER AND INVESTMENT OF THIS MONEY IN YOUR COUNTRY UNDER YOUR TOTAL REPRESENTATION. SEND ME YOUR RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY BY E-MAIL WITH YOUR DIRECT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS TO ENHANCE THE CONFIDENTIALITY WHICH THIS BUSINESS DEMANDS.

THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

MRS ELIZABETH LADAWA MOBUTU.

Nb= You can contact me on my alternate Email = ( mrs_1eli@yahoo.com )



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