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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "might come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  

Fraud email example:

From: mrsmaria_stevens_2@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 05 Sep 2006 10:38:22 -0700
Subject: My Dear Friend

My Dear Friend

This letter might come to you as a surprise as we have not
met before,but I believe that you would be compelled to help
me after going through the contents of this letter. My name
is Maria Del Carmen stevens a swedish,my meeting with Mr
David Yendall Stevens in south africa led us into marriage.
my husband Mr David stevens who is now late farmer and
exporter of Tobacco in the Republic of zimbabwe,he was shot
dead allegedly by ZANU-PF supporters in zimbabwe on 25th of
april 2000 in the farm. You can confirm this by copying and
pasting this link on your internet browser.or click on
it:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/725643.stm,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/818766.stm


He (Robert Mugabe) did not stop at that; he also went on to
expel all White farmers in Zimbabwe. He implored the
services of his war veterans to undertake this seizure. The
war veterans have been accused (correctly) of being behind
the violent occupation of white-owned commercial farms in
which an estimated 70,000 farm workers have been displaced.
At least, over hundreds white farmers and black settlers
have been killed since the farm invasions began in February
2000.We have decided that we must see this problem to the
end.

Although we know that we are taking a great risk by staying
here in Zimbabwe. At the Moment, our phone lines are bugged,
and all our movements are being monitored by Zimbabwe’s
(Robert Mugabe4s)secret Police. Therefore email is the
safest means of communication for now. We (White farmers in
Zimbabwe) have taken our case to the United Nations and even
with the threats of transactions and the subsequent
sanctions from the West against the Zimbabwean Authorities,
Robert Mugabe (The president of Zimbabwe) still remains
adamant. He is insisting that our farm land (some of which
we bought with our money and most of which We inherited from
our fathers) belongs to the (his) government of Zimbabwe.the
government of zimbabwe has asked all white-farmers to give
up their farms to black farmers or risk going to prison. So
far, more than 1,400 white owned farms have been invaded and
confiscated, as well as claiming the properties of the
farmers.Also,about 133 white farmers were arrested for
defying the orders to leave their farms under the
controversial land reform program of
the government,


Since I could not keep the money in Zimbabwe, I used the
services of a Diplomatic Courier Company to move this money
(registered as official documents) out of
Zimbabwe to Europe. At present, my money totaling
US$28,750,000. (Twenty eight million, seven hundred and
fifty thousand United States Dollars) is in Europe and
hopefully, it would be paid into an offshore account. Can
you help me? Are you trustworthy? Can you handle this money?
Are you capable of handling this
money? If you can, please contact me All you need to do is
to claim this money from the Courier Company.

You will be required to contact the Courier Company that
moved this money (official documents) out of Zimbabwe and to
Europe. All necessary particulars which can facilitate and
enable you claim the money on my behalf will be forwarded to
you as soon as your consent to proceed is received. For!
your assistance, you will be entitled to 20% of the total
sum. You are also obliged to help/advise on the proper and
most
convenient way of investing this money in your country,
Hopefully, You will consider this request and respond
positively.


Yours Sincerely,

Maria Stevens

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam