419 scam: "Mrs. Cecile Reed"<mrscecilereed1@aim.com> PLEASE

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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.
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
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.
- cecilereed59@aim.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Cecile Reed" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrscecilereed@aim.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2010 21:15:45 +0100
Subject: PLEASE

In search of a Trustee

My name is Mrs. Cecile Reed I am a dying woman who has decided to donate what I have to charities through you. You may be wondering why I chose you. But someone has to be chosen. I am old and was diagnosed for cancer, after the death of my husband who hadleft me everything he worked for.

I have been touched by the Lord to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to charity through you for the good work of humanity. I have asked the Lord to forgive me all my sins and I believe he has, because He is merciful. I will be going in for an operation, and I pray that I survive the operation. I have decided to Will/Donate the sum of Eight Million Five hundred thousand Dollars to charities through you for the good work of the Lord, and to help the motherless, less privileged and also for the assistance of the widows.

I sincerely know that a lot has been written about some SCAM coming out of the world, but I assure you that this will never in any way associated with that as you will be given the right to verify this directly with the Bank were the funds is presently deposited.

Please reply me via this address: cecilereed59@aim.com

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER ON YOUR REPLY.

Your sincerely,
Mrs. Cecile Reed

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam