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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.Maria Osborne" <mrs_mariaosborne21@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 11:31:57 +0200
Subject: FAMILY IN NEED OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
































































From Mrs. Maria S OsbornePhone +27-83-755-1551Email :( mrs_mariaosborne_8080@yahoo.com)
(mrs_mariaosborne_1@myway.com)
Dear: Sir /Madam, I know you will be surprised to receive this proposal. Actually I got your contact address from the internet here in South Africa when I was making an intensive research for my investment in your country then I decided to contact you directly. First I must introduce myself. My name is Mrs. Maria S Osborne, the Wife of Mr. John S Osborne of Zimbabwe. During the current crisis against the farmers of Zimbabwe by the supporters of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white owned farms in our country, he ordered all the white and rich black farmers to surrender their farms to his party members and their follower. My husband was one of the best farmers in the country and a major financier/sponsor of the opposition party [Movement for Democratic Change MDC, and knowing that my husband did not support the president Political ideology, the president’s supporters invaded my husband’s farm, kill him and took over it. After the death of my husband, I and my two son’s David and Frank decided to move out of Zimbabwe for the safety of our lives. Before the death of my husband he deposited USD$22.7 Million we get from the auctioning of our estates, farms and other businesses belonging to our family. The funds are presently being kept away in security Company firm based here in Johannesburg South Africa.

I am looking for any reliable person overseas who is willing to help me and my two son’s David and Frank to transfer this money out from South Africa and use it for investment in his/her country because we are asylum seeker here in South Africa and we can not open a non-residentaccount through which this fund will be channeled out to nominated overseas account. If my proposition is considered, for assisting us to transfer this money to your country, we will offer you 30% of the total fund, and 5% of the total will be set aside to cover any expenses incurred during this transaction. 65% will be for me and my family to invest in your country under your supervision. Please contact us through our Mobile phone +27-83-755-1551)or E-mail: (mrs_mariaosborne_8080@yahoo.com)
(mrs_mariaosborne_1@myway.com)
Best Regards, Mrs. Maria S Osborne For the family. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/918781.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/715001.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1063785.stm
_________________________________________________________________
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