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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <mrsrebeccam@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:29:10 +0000
Subject: I am waiting for your urgent response



Attention:Dear Sir,

With due respect, trust and humanity, I write this letter to you seeking your help and assistance, though it seems difficult since we have not met before. I got your good contact from the Internet online services when I was searching for a reliable person whom God will use to assist me and my family in this critical time of our lives and I believe that you are capable and reliable enough in handling this urgent international transaction of this sort.My name is Mrs. Rebecca Mawere. I am the Wife of Mr. Mutumwa Mawere, the renowned Zimbabwean Industrialist. My Husband belonged to one of the classes of farmers and industrialists targeted by the ZANU-PF armed group; because he was in the opposition party The Movement for Democratic change (MDC) in Zimbabwe political arena that did not support the ideas and policies of the current government. In the course of the revolution in Zimbabwe, the ZANU-PF armed group (war veterans) attacked and invaded my Husbands farms and Companies, destroying them. Most of my husband’s businesses in Zimbabwe have either been nationalized or liquidated by the Zimbabwean Government. My husband, Mr.Mawere was accused of externalising foreign currency and was specified under the Prevention of Corruption Act, in 2004. His mines, together with companies in finance, insurances and agriculture were seized by President Mugabe’s decree. He lost his flagship business, Shabanie Mashaba Mines (SMM Holdings), which he had bought for US$60 million from British company Turner & Newell in 1996, to the state You could read more about my family’s plight in Zimbabwe through the following articles on this Internet web:(1) http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/mawere18.13830.html(2) http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/isj94/zeilig.htmAfter his last assault by the government Security Agents, we managed to escape the boundaries of Zimbabwe into ACCRA GHANA, with our remaining fortune of US$20 MILLION US DOLLARS (Twenty Million US Dollars) cash deposited documents, which my husband deposited in one bank in Brussels – Belgium, through the help of one of my Husband’s Belgium diplomat friends with important documents of foreign property title and other valuables, which he has entrusted to me for the future of the family because our lives were threatened and Zimbabwe was no longer safe for the whole family to live. The box is currently safely secured in the Vault of a private security firm in Brussels. Presently, we are now residing temporarily in Accra Ghana as Refugees.Moreover due to Africa ’s government's stringent monetary policies/regulations and the sensitive and volatile political status of the region, it would be most dangerous to attempt investments here as such act could keep us in direct reach of the Zimbabwean Government. I hereby solicit for your assistance in moving this money into your bank account for investments. I have resolved to compensate you adequately by offering a commission of 20% for your assistance. you can contact me directly via email for more clarification.
I am waiting for your urgent response.Sincerely yours,Mrs. Rebecca Mawere

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