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419 Scam – Mariam Abacha a.k.a Maryam Abacha (widow of Sani Abacha) – Advance Fee Fraud
One of the most enduring characters in the classic Nigerian advance fee fraud (419 scam) is Mariam Abacha (also spelled "Maryam Abacha"). This is no coincidence: her late husband, military dictator Sani Abacha (also spelled "Sanni Abacha") was probably the most corrupt ruler in Nigerian history. Nevertheless, if you receive an email supposedly from this lady offering you 10-35% of some fortune in exchange for lending your bank account for having this money transferred into, it's still a scam. The real Mrs. Abacha doesn't need your help. If you are careless enough to get involved with these scammers you will then be asked to send cash to pay for various expenses which supposedly have come up, without ever seeing a cent of the promised fortune.
This particular scam email has also been adapted to Suha Arafat, widow of late Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat.From: MARIAM ABACHA [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: FRiday, 11 March 2005 01:00 To: emailaddress Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE NEEDED Attn:Sir/madam, I hope this proposal will not come to you as a surprise as you do not know who I am please kindly treat as urgent and confidential. Following the sudden death of my husband General Sani Abacha the late former head of stateofNigeria in June (1998), I have been thrown into a state of utter confusion, frustration and hopelessness by the present civilian administration, I have been subjected to physical and psychological torture by the security agents in the country. My son was only recently released from detention due to health related reason, he was initially detained for an offence he did not commit, he is still being arraigned before the federal high court of Nigeria till date. As a widow that is so traumatizing for me,I have lost confidence with anybody within the country. You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the recovery of various huge sums of money deposited by my husband in different security firms abroad, some companies willingly give up their secrets and disclosed our money confidently lodged there or many outright blackmail. In fact, the total sumdiscovered by the Government so far is in the tune of ($700) Million dollars. Moreover, they are not relenting to make me poor for life. I got your contacts through my personal research, and out of desperation decided to reach you through this medium. I will give you more information as to this regard as soon as you reply. I repose great confidence in you hence my approach to you due to security network placed on my day to day affairs I cannot afford to visit the embassy so that is why I decided to contact you and I hope you will not betray my confidence in you. I have deposited the sum of ($15) million dollars with a security firm abroad whose name is withheld for now until we open communication. I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund into your account for safekeeping. You and my son Mustapha Abba Abacha alone know this arrangement, so my son will deal directly with you as security is up my whole being. I am seriously considering to settle down abroad in a friendly atmosphere like yours as soon as this fund get into your account so that I can start all over again if only you wish, but if it is impossible, just help me in diverting this fund into your account which will accrue you (20%) of this fund. Please honesty is the watchword in this transaction. I will require your telephone and fax numbers so that we can commence communication immediately and I will give you a more detailed picture of things. In case you do not accept, please do not let me out to the security as I am giving you this information in total trust and confidence .I will greatly appreciate if you accept my proposal in good faith. Please expedite action. you can indicate so by your response to my private Email:[email protected] Yours faithfully, mariam abacha
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