419 scam: "Mrs.Anna Gates." <info@onlinehelp.org> My Dear Beloved Friend...

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
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.
- mrs.annagates99@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Anna Gates." <info@onlinehelp.org>
Reply-To: mrs.annagates99@yahoo.com
Date: 23 Mar 2011 15:54:39 -0000
Subject: My Dear Beloved Friend...

My Dear Friend,

Greeting to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mrs. Anna Gates from United Kingdom, married to Dr. Harry R. Gates who worked with Texaco Oil Company in Nigeria before he died in a ghastly motor accident on his way to a Board meeting. My Husband and me were married but without any children. Since his death I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 69 Years old. When my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of $16.5M. (Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) with a Bank.

Presently this money is still with the Bank and the management just Wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the money or rather Issue a letter of authority to somebody to receive it on my behalf. I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment Cancer of the lungs. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live so I think the best thing to do is to use the money for charity purposes. I want a person who is trustworthy that I will make the beneficiary of my late Husband's Fund deposited with the bank so that the person can get the money and utilize 70% of this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows around the world.

I have been touched to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to charity through you for the good work of humanity, rather than allow my relatives to use my husband's hard earned funds inappropriately.I know i have never met you but my mind tells me to do this, and I hope you act sincerely.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact details of the Bank. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the new beneficiary of this fund.Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated here in and Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get to your Custody. This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth.

May the good lord bless you -Amen, please send response to my private address. (mrs.annagates99@yahoo.com)

I await your urgent reply.

Regards,

Mrs. Anna Gates.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam