419 scam: "Kate Morgan" <mrskaterinamorgan@yahoo.com> From Kate

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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:
- "a security company " (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. )
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states dollars" (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)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "for easy and confidential communication" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +27844109176 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Kate Morgan" <mrskaterinamorgan@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: katerinamorgan49@yahoo.ie
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2013 06:31:33 -0800
Subject: From Kate

From MRS KATERINA MORGAN
Johannesburg
South Africa

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

Compliments of the day to you and your family. I am writing to you with much respect and honor to this letter, which must remain private and confidential. I know my proposal will come to you as a surprise since you do not precisely know me. Anyway, my mind accepted you and I believe that this proposal will bring mutual benefit for both of us. Let me use this medium to introduce myself to you, I am MRS KATERINA MORGAN the wife of Paul Morgan, the former chairman of Diamond National Mining Co-operation and once the Director of Works and Housing before his untimely death.

My Husband associated himself with coup plotters that ousted the government of Ahmed Tijan Kabbah on the 25th of May 1998 and was executed including ten (10) others. As a result of his death and uncontrollable war in my country, Sierra Leone , my children and I decided to seek asylum in South Africa where my Husband had deposited USD$32Million (Thirty Two Million United States Dollars Only) for us.

We now want to use this money for investment in your country since we do not have anybody to assist us. Therefore, I am asking for your urgent assistance to forward this money into your country using very confidential and reliable means in which I will offer you 30% of the total amount for your kind assistance.

However, this money is safely kept in a Security Company before my husband's death under disguise as precious items and nobody has any slight knowledge of what is inside the box deposited with the Security Company. In other words, there is no risk involved and so do not hesitate to ask questions where necessary.

All the documents covering the deposition of the money with the Security Company are intact with my son and me. For more information, please contact my son ROLAND MORGAN on +27844109176 or via email E-mail reply to provide you with detailed information on how the transfer of this fund can be made to your country upon acceptance.

Please your private phone and fax numbers will be mostly needed for easy and confidential communication. I look forward to your earliest reply.

Best regards,
MRS KATERINA MORGAN

For the family , God bless you as you get back to me via e-mail reply.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam