419 scam: "MARIE HILL" <marihill47@yahoo.com> Dear Friendth =?iso-8859-1?Q?=A372.05million?= 'Ivoire My PŒë¸"

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
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.
- +447011132752 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
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.
- vicmorowecw@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "MARIE HILL" <marihill47@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:53:22 -0300 (BRT)
Subject: Dear Friend

Dear Friend,
My name is Mrs.MARIE HILL.I am a dying woman who have decided to donate
what I have to you/ church/ mosque and the less privilege. I am a 63 years
old and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 9 years ago immediately after
the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for. I have
been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late
husband to you for the good work of God,rather than allow my relatives to
use my husband hard earned funds ungodly.Please pray,that the good Lord
forgive me my sins.I have asked God to forgive me and believe he has
because He is a merciful God.
I will be going in for an operation in less than one hour. I decided to
WILL/donate the sum of $5,700,000 (five million seven hundred thousand
dollars) to you for the good work of the lord, and also to help the
motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.At
the moment I cannot take any telephone calls right now due to the fact
that my relatives are around me and my health status. I have adjusted my
WILL and my lawyer is aware I have changed my will you and he will arrange
the transfer of the funds from my account to you.I wish you all the best
and may the good Lord bless you abundantly,and please use the funds well
and always extend the good work to others.Contact my lawyer with this
specified contact details:VICTOR MORROW,12 Paternoster Square, London,
EC4M 7LS England.TEL/FAX +447011132752 E-MAIL:vicmorowecw@gmail.com and
tell him that I have WILLED($5,700,000.00)to you by quoting my personal
reference number
Law/chamber/je/nd/WILL/TT453276542/Jrrr/086.And I have also notified him
that I am WILLING that amount to you for a specific and good work.
I know I do not know you but i want to render support to an individual i
have not meet before in life due to the fact when my husband was young in
life he received an anonymous help from an individual he did not know and
which we have not being able to know till date, the impact he got from
such gesture made us.Thanks and God bless.NB:I will appreciate your utmost
confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished.
Regards,
Marie Hill

Anti-fraud resources:

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