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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS.MARY KOBE" <maryk@hotmail.com> (may be fake)
Reply-To: marykobex2@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 15:40:27 +0200
Subject: ATTN: Dearly Beloved,

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.Mary Kobe,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 travelling document to further frustrate me. Thank God, two weeks ago,
I received Key Text Code [KTC} from a security & Finance Company abroad,
that my late husband maintains a safety deposit box of high value with this
company and i am the next of kin so therefore i should make necessary
arrangements to come for the claim of the box. It has therefore, become very
necessary and urgent to contact someone, a foreigner like you to help me
receive/secure the consignment while my children and i find a way of
getting out 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 information is known only to me and no
one else.

My children and I have resolved to give you a certain percentage for your
honest assistance ,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. 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.

MARY KOBE.(MRS)


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