419 scam: "U.S Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard" <info@u.sambassador.org> U.S. AMBASSADOR FUND NOTIFICATION!

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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:
- "registration 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. )
- "you are required to pay " (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. )
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- usambassadormarybethleonard06@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "U.S Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard" <info@u.sambassador.org>
Reply-To: usambassadormarybethleonard06@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:32:25 -0800
Subject: U.S. AMBASSADOR FUND NOTIFICATION!

U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA
1075 DIPLOMATIC DR, AREA, ABUJA
U.S. AMBASSADOR FUND NOTIFICATION
MY PRIVATE EMAIL: usambassadormarybethleonard06@gmail.com

Attention: Fund Beneficiary,

I'm the New U.S Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard from United States of America to Nigeria, I resume in my office on December 24th, 2019 as the New Ambassador and I have gone through every document in my office and noticed that your name is involved in the list, which the United Nation has decided to compensate you with the sum of ($15.5 Million U.S Dollars) from Federal Republic of Nigeria in conjunction with United Bank For Africa ( UBA ) and it will be through an ATM Card for easy use.

I shall be coming to your country for an official meeting on 20th March, 2023 and I will advise you to send the registration fee of $600 so that I will be able to register your ATM Card to enable me to bring your ATM Card contains ($15.5 Million U.S Dollars) along with me without any stopped through Custom because as an Ambassador to Federal Republic of Nigeria, I'm the U.S Government Agent and I have the veto power to go through custom.

As soon as I'm through with my meeting, I shall then proceed to register your name, home address and with your ATM Card Fund as well, Without missing words, I am convinced 100% that you have had bitter experience with various scams claiming to be high government officials and thereby defrauding you of your hard-earned money.

The activities of these scams have changed your perspective about conducting business on the internet, and you now believe there is no genuine business that can be conducted on the internet. Well, I'm a U.S. Citizen and the internet was created by Americans for the purpose of creating awareness of your products/services and conducting genuine business with ease.

I am a full citizen of the United States of America, but I was on a Foreign Mission here in NIGERIA as a U.S Ambassador. Hence, I am making every effort to ensure that no citizen of the United States of America and other parts of the world is cheated by Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic e.t.c.

Therefore, I need your utmost support and understanding to actualize this dream. I also want you to understand that I do trust you and I expect you to show me the same trust and respect in return since trust is a 2-way street. On the other hand, trust is a relationship of reliance. Trust also means being able to predict what other people need.

Trust is both an emotional and logical act. Emotionally, it is where you expose your vulnerabilities to people, but believing they will not take advantage of your openness. Logically, it is where you have assessed the probabilities of gain and loss, calculating expected utility based on hard performance data, and concluded that the person in question will behave in a predictable manner.

In practice, trust is a bit of both. I trust you because I have experienced your trustworthiness by merely believing in what I have said, even when you haven't seen me, and because I have faith in humanity.

Frankly speaking, I understand that anyone in your shoes will feel betrayed, but I still want you to show me your trust by giving me the benefit of the doubt on this delivery arrangement. My identity and personality is verifiable, and I promise to deliver your ATM Card to you safely without any hitch.

I am fully committed to delivering your ATM card to your doorstep without delay. NB: Your ATM Card of ($15.5 Million U.S Dollars) must be registered as an Ambassadorial package as planned to enable me to deliver your ATM Card to you immediately.

Please take note that you are required to pay the registration fee of $600 and do not allow this mission to die off because of $600 U.S Dollars for the registration fee of your ATM Master Card, I meant so well for you and I believe you will appreciate me more when you have finally received your ATM Card.

I will use my position and personality to deliver your ATM Card worth ( $15.5 Million U.S Dollars ) to your doorstep without question from the financial monitoring authorities, since all documentation proving the legitimacy of the funds have been processed.

Please don't see me as one of the numerous dubious, Ghana, Benin Republic or Nigerians you have dealt with in the past. I am a different person entirely and I came from a different continent. I have the American spirit in me and I hate cheaters. I promise to always uphold the national unity of the United States. Please reply back ASAP.

I hope you will understand and follow my instructions to enable me to serve you better. I will advise you to contact my private email ( usambassadormarybethleonard06@gmail.com ) so that we can proceed immediately.

Signed.

Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard.
U.S Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources:

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