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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: gloria pedro <gloriapedro23_@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 11:55:44 +0000
Subject: WE have been trying to contact you



FROM : MRS GLORIA PEDROADDRESS : NO. 12 JOHN AVENUE HARARE, ZIMBABWE TEL :+27-73-36-36-291 E Mail = stevepedro23@yahoo.co.uk
Dear Sir / Madam,
This may appear a bit surprising to you but very beneficial, as a matter of urgency I am desperately looking for a foreign partner whom I can trust to handle some investment or fund movement. I am MRS. GLORIA PEDRO JOHN wife of late DR. JOHN PEDRO who was murdered by the Zimbabwean veterans and irate black people.
I am writing from Zimbabwe, i got your address from the Internet through the consultancy directory during my search for a reliable and honest person to transact this business with. i write to solicit for your special assistance to a family shattered by a government led by a dictator and his (ZANU-PF) ruling party President Robert Mugabe.
Because of land and farm land crisis in Zimbabwe, the government secretly sponsored the war veterans and some irate party members to dispossess the land being occupied by white farmers. The action has led to the killing of some members of opposition party including my husband JOHN PEDRO , who did not support this ill-fated action. But before the death of my husband, he anticipated some dangers and so he deposited the sum of US $ 25.5 Million (Twenty Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in the of name of only son “STEVE PEDRO ” at a reputable security company in South Africa with the intention of using to open fertilizer manufacturing company among other companies in our neighbouring country (Swaziland) after his University education.

On 29th of July 2001 the war veterans and some supporters of (ZANU-PF) ruling party trooped into our compound and axed him (my husband) to death. Since then, they have been terrorising my only son, STEVE PEDRO , but he managed to escape to a neighbouring country, South Africa as a political asylum seeker (refugee). But his position in South Africa does not permit him to open an account to run any huge financial business. That is why i want this fund to be transferred into your private account so that you will assist him to invest it in your country. Hence, if you agree to assist us, we will offer you 30 % of the money for your assistance, 10% will be for the possible expenses incurred in the process of this transaction, while 60 % will be for
our family investment in your country through your assistance and note that hits business is 100% risk free. NOTE : On your response and interest, you shall be introduced to the international business law firm based here in Johannesburg South Africa who assisted my late husband in depositing of this fund at the security company for any query / demand for due clarifications. Contact my son STEVE PEDRO on his direct telephone 27-73-36 -36=291 for more details.
I need your urgent and confidential response.
Best regards,
GLORIA PEDRO (MRS) FOR THE FAMILY
PLEASE YOU CAN READ ABOUT PROBLEMS IN ZIMBABWE FROMTHE LINKS BELOW.
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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