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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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • rhodes2006@myway.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: katie@katie16.orangehome.co.uk
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:12:50 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Friendly Letter from Lady Rhodes


Friendly Letter from Lady Rhodes
>From Mrs. Katie Robert Rhodes
Email; rhodes2006@myway.com

Naturally, this letter will come to you as a surprise since we have not met, but please permit me to introduce myself to you. My name is Mrs. Katie Robert Rhodes, My husband owns the former Lilangeni Freedom Farms, in Lilangeni, Zimbabwe.

Lilangeni Freedom Farms comprises of twelve large tobacco farms and it belongs to my late father in-law before he was shot down by radical extremist as some will say. Presently, my husband and I have been asked to give back the farms without any reason, though we all know as foreign farmers, time will come when we will have to live this country because of the growing tension.

Our aim of contacting you has become very necessary due to my plan to relocate to your country so that we can purchase some lands and start farming all over again, as the continues political instability in Zimbabwe has made it even worst for us and other white farmers to begin farming again since the killings of white farmers began five years ago.

I want you to know that the Government under the leadership of President Robert Mugabe announced a decree on May 31st, 2000 that all foreign farmers must give back their farms, this new law was not acceptable to farmers because the land they are farming on was bought and belongs to us by law, but still, we could not do much because we are minority and the President was the initiator.

During this period, as reported by international media’s and the CNN, more than six white farmers including my Father was killed and the Government could not protect us or stop the violence. So far, more than 1,400 white owned farms have been invaded and confiscated as well as claiming the other valuable properties belonging to white farmers, please I want you to know that this incident did not happen to my family alone, it took everybody by surprise.
About 133 white farmers was arrested for defying the orders to vacate their farms under the controversial land reform program.

Having lived in this country all my life, I simply do not have any other choice, therefore, I decided to contact you for your assistance, so that I can divert or relocate. Also, I must re-iterate the importance of having a citizen from your country to front for me, since I intend to purchase a farm land or rent for farming and I do not know much about you land-ownership laws, I thought it wise to seek your help to act as a proxy for me.

For this purpose, I have put in a security deposit from the sales of our farming equipments and also all financial profits, all of these are a total Nine Million two hundred and fifty thousand United States Dollars.

Upon receiving your acceptance responds, I will prepare every document to enable you be the receiver of my deposit fund which will be used for the purchase of new farm properties and other tools required to run a farm.

My offer to you might not be much, but I want you to know that I intend also to make you a partner if you don’t mind. But for your assistance, you will be entitled to 20% of the total sum that you will be receiving on my behalf for the above purpose.

If you are interested and willing to assist me, you should please forward to me via my confidential email; rhodes2006@myway.com; your acceptance message with your telephone number so that I can give you a ring to talk more about this transaction.

Thank you for your understanding,

Yours faithfully
Mrs. Katie Robert Rhodes

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam