419 scam: "MARY MUBANDA"<demo@rolexhosiery.com> CAN YOU HELP ?

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "a diplomat " ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "robert mugabe" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "MARY MUBANDA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <marymubanda@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:38:11 +0100
Subject: CAN YOU HELP ?

Dear Sir,

My name is MRS. MARY MUBANDA, the wife of late GEORGE MUBANDA, from Republic of Zimbabwe. Because My husband was murdered in the recent land disputes in Zimbabwe and I decided to write you in strict confidence for this assistance . During these land disputes and before the eventual seizure of all our property by the Zimbabwean Government, my late husband successfully deposited a bonded consignment containing the sum of US$15,800,000.00 with a security company. This money is inside our consignment which he deposited with the security company but the security company did not know that there is money inside this particular consignment because they were told that it contains our family valuables. In our circumstances, this was the only way to secure the money as the Zimbabwean Government was bent on confiscating all our property in addition to general looting and destruction during the crisis

This money was meant for the purchase of new Agricultural machinery and chemicals for our Farms and establishment of new farms in Swaziland. But most unfortunately, my husband was murdered in the dispute.

As you may be aware, this land problem started when Zimbabwean President Mr. Robert Mugabe introduced a new Land Reform Act that wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few black farmers alike. This resulted to the killings and mob actions by Zimbabwean war veterans and some lunatics in the society during political elections in my country. In fact a lot of people were killed because of this Land reform Act and my husband is one of the victims.

It is against this background that we fled Zimbabwe and now live in South Africa as refugees. I now want to properly secure this money that my late husband hurriedly deposited as consignment with the security company and I want to transfer my late husband's money to a reliable foreign account so that we can use it in some profitable investments and it is for this reason that I am seeking your assistance

Please reply immediately after your reading this mail as I have concluded arrangements with a Diplomat to help me deliver our consignment to your address.
My personal regards,
MRS. MARY MUBANDA
For: (the family).

PLEASE YOU CAN READ ABOUT PROBLEMS IN ZIMBABWE FROM
THE LINKS BELOW:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/918781.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/715001.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1063785.stm

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam