419 scam: "mrs.kate thomas"<mrs.katethomas1@gmail.com> from kate thomas

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "demurrage " (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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "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)
- "is 100% risk-free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "foreign exchange" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "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.
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.
- +27782657927 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- mrs.katethomas@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "mrs.kate thomas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.katethomas@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2015 19:09:13 +0200
Subject: from kate thomas

Attn: sir

You may be surprise to receive this letter from me since you don't know me personally but please take this mail into consideration as me and my family really needs your assistance and we contacted you with good intentions.

I am MRS KATE THOMAS, the wife of Dr. HARRISON THOMAS who was recently murdered in the political and land dispute in Zimbabwe . I got your contact through the South African chamber of Commerce and International trade as reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential transaction which involves a transfer of fund to a foreign account. I decided to write you, my late husband was amongst the few black Zimbabwean rich farmers murdered in cold blood by the agents of the ruling government of President Robert Mugabe for his alleged support and sympathy for the Zimbabwean opposition party controlled by the white minority.

Before his death, he had taken to Johannesburg - South Africa to deposit the sum of US Million (Thirty Two Million United States Dollars) $32Millionwith a Security Company which I will inform you in due course, as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe . The money was deposited in a box as "Valuables" family treasures to avoid much demurrage from the Security Company. This money was embarked from the purchase of new machinery and chemical for farms and the establishment of new farms in Lesotho and Swaziland .

This land problem arose when President Robert Mugabe introduced a new Land act that wholly affected the rich white farmers and some few blacks who vehemently condemned the "modus operandi" adopted by the Government. This resulted to rampant killing and mob action by the war veterans and some political thugs. Precisely, more than Eighty-one (81) people have so far been killed. Heads of governments from the west, especially Britain and United States of America have voiced their condemnation of Mugabe's plan. Subsequently, South African development Community (S.A.D.C) has continuously supported Mugabe's new land act, it is against this background that I and my family who are currently residing in South Africa have decided to transfer my husband money into a foreign account. As a wife of my late husband, I am saddled with the responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign account where this money could be transferred without the knowledge of my government who are tactically freezin
g our family wealth and South Afri
history.

More so, the South African Foreign Exchange policy does not allow such investment hence we are seeking for "Asylum". As a business person whom I am about to entrust my future and that of my family into his/her hands, I must
let you know that this transaction is 100% risk-free and the nature of your business does not necessarily matter. For your assistance, we are offering you 25% of the total sum, 70% for me and my family while 5% will be mapped out for
any expenses we may incur during the course of this transaction. We wish to invest our part of the money on commercial property based on your advice. Most importantly, I and my family desire the following from you immediately we conclude this transaction:
(i) To assist us get a nice and comfortable house in your country where we shall stay when we arrive.

Finally, all we demand from you is assurance that you will not sit on this money when it finally gets to your personal or company's account in your country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, please confirm your interest
by replying immediately or through my telephone number.

You can view the websites below for more understanding regarding what has been happening in my country Zimbabwe .

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

e mail, mrs.katethomas@gmail.com
phone + 27 782657927
Best Regards,

Mrs Kate Thomas

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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam