419 scam: "MRS. HALIMAH MAHMOOD DIBA" <halimah

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "security keeping fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS. HALIMAH MAHMOOD DIBA" <halimah_mahmood01@msn.com>
Reply-To: halimah.mahmood1@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:36:34 +0545 (NPT)
Subject: Greetings

Salam alekum!

I am sure this mail would come to you as a surprise since we have never
met before and you would also be asking
why I have decided to choose you in particular. I cannot mention why I
have chosen you
but don't be bothered about that, for I come in peace and something
positive, which will affect your life for good.
The internet has made the world a global village where you can reach those
you have not met before.

Permit me to give you a little of my biography,
I am Mother Halimah Mahmood, 87 Years old and the wife
of Late Diba Mohammed Al-Mahmood who died in a Plane crash on Monday
the 7th of September 1998 GMT 14:22 UK
while they were flying from New York to Geneva. Please see site below
for more information.
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9809/swissair.victims.list/index.html

After the death of my husband, I headed his investment and
now that I am old I have decided to spend the rest of my life with my
family and relatives whom I never had time for during
my active business life.

Before the death of my husband, we had plans to use the last days of our
lives to disburse part of our
resources to serve the needs of the less-privileged, but unfortunately, my
husband
is not alive today to do this with me, hence I have decided it on behalf
of my late husband. I have willed out half of our
assets to charities in different countries including victims of the
Australian Bush Fires in Victoria, Australia.
we specifically resolved to positively touch the life of an individual we
have not met in life,the reason being that when we were younger
we received help from an unknown individual, whom we have not met till
this day.

The impact we got from such gesture made us to do same to you now.
I amsorry to inform you that you will never have the
chance to meet me because I have just concluded the assignment which my
husband and I have agreed upon before his sudden death
and you happened to be the beneficiary of our last WILL, irrespective of
your present financial status I need you to do me a
favor by accepting our offer that will cost you nothing.I have deposited a
Check valued at 5,800,000.00 British Pounds with FedEx
to be delivered to you on your contact with them.

Contact Person: Bruno Scott Jr.
Email Address: fedexdelivery@fedexuk.tk
dispatch@fedexuk.tk

I have paid for the delivery Charges, Insurance Premium and Non-Money
Laundering Clearance Certificates Fee as required for the Check showing
that the fund
donated to you has no link with Drug-trafficking and Money Laundering.
The only charge to be paid by you is 145.34GBP, as security keeping fee
for the check so far which
would have also been paid by me, but the company insisted that I should
not, since the time you will contact them is
not certain in other to avoid accumulated demurage.

You are to forward the below information to them for confirmation before
delivery.

Postal address:
Full Names:
Direct telephone number:
The Security keeping code of the parcel: (SCT/0433/L)

Note: Do not thank me or my husband, just invest wisely with the money
given to you and do same to the life of another someday as
this is the only way we can better our world. Also, I will no longer be
reading my emails as I have retired completely to my ranch.

Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Halimah Diba Mahmood

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