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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

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

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS HELEN OBANNA" <helenobanna@gmail.com>
Reply-To: helenoba@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 04:50:43 -0400
Subject: Dear Friend,




Dear Friend,

I presume this letter will come to you as a suprise, but as things
unfold,we will know

each other better and how I got your contact. I am MRS.HELEN OBANNA, the
wife of the

Managing Director and Chief Executive, one of the leading oil company. I
am very sure

that you will be of a goodassistance after carefully reading my letter.
For many years

of marriage between me and my husband, I have not given birth to a male
child,and

thishas really troubled my husband.

This is as a result of so much respect attached to local Tradition Culture
and Custom

in there community. And now my husband is dead in a GhastlyAuto Crash, In
short to be

sincere and honest with you,with the present situation of things now, I am
being

treaten daily by my husband family toget me out from the house. Before the
sudden death

of my beloved husband,and father of my Two daughters, my late husband
intended

toestablish a business in the united states of America and London with the
sum of$18.5

million united states dollars, but unfortunately he diedbefore this
proposed venture.

Following his death, his family members insisted that I am not entitled
to his

property (Assets and money) since I
am a woman and my offspring's all girls as I don't have a male child for
my husband.

Well,according to some barbaric traditional laws here in (Africa)which
doesn't permit a

woman to inherit a man's property, as they are expected by tradition to
take over the

management of his business andother properties including myself who
automatically

becomes a wife to one of his immediate brothers.
Unfortunately to this wicked family members, the $18.5million united
states dollars

which my late husband intended to use in establishing abusiness in the
United States or

london was deposited in a security company unkwon to his family. I and the
lawyer are

the only one aware ofthis money.

As soon as I get your positive response, I shall provide you with all the
necessary

detail for this transfer. However, I have decided
to give you 30% of the total money as a reward for your sincere assistance
and the rest

balance of the money will be for my
investment while 5% of the money will be mapped aside for local and
international

expenses as I will want to keep aglow my late husbands dreamof investing
in real estate

or any lucrative business that you may want us to invest the money into in
your

country. Please i need your urgentassistance because my husband family are
trying to

take all which i and my husbnad has laboured for and throw me out of the
house,please

don't letthis happen to me, come and save me out of this truouble and i
will be forever

be greatful to you. To be sincere and honest with you,this moneyis never
connected with

drugs,money laundry,firearms and looting,which I beleive might put fears
in you and

consequently withdrawing your help forsecurity reasons. To be able to help
me, kindly

send your personal details including your contact information for easy
communication.
Thanking you for your anticipated response.

Plesae send your reply to my private email address:helenobanna@gmail.com

MRS HELEN OBANNA


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