419 scam: "Mrs. Ofich Vine"<georgedanko@att.net> From Mrs.Ofich Vine

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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:

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:
- "a security company " (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. )
- ",000,000" (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)
- "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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Ofich Vine" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <tttttodi0@megamail.pt>
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:06:21 +0100
Subject: From Mrs.Ofich Vine

>From Mrs. Ofich Vine,

May the peace of merciful God be with you,please I have a problem and i
decided it is good a thing to write you, be bless in the name of God and sorry
to intrude into your privacy.As i hope that this mail meet you in good sense
of mind.

Please read this mail gently and try to absorb the content therein as this is
not one of any such mail you read but i have prayed and fasted irrespective to
my present predicament believing God that i shall meet the right person that
will be sincere,faithful and God fearing.My name is Mrs Ofich Vine,I am from
Abidjan the capital city of COTE D'IVOIRE.I am married to late Mr.Josep Vine
who was a DIAMOND BUSINESS MERCHANT and died as a result of war in my country.
We were married for twenty years with just a child called Junior.My Husband
died as a result of a stray bullet shot during the war.

When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of (15,000,000.00)USD in a
security company and some gold here in the federal republic of Ghana.
Recently,I was confirmed to be suffering from Cancer and the Doctors informed
me that i will not last for the next many months. Hence I decided to look for
a foreign partner that will help me secure this box that contian this money in
his or her custody and invest it into a risk-free venture for profit making
because my son Junior is too young and cannot handle such money so i desire a
sincere God fearing person that will assist me to process and secure this
money then send for my son and take good care of him as your child so that he
can further his education and after his education you will give him rights to
the investments and establishment as i may not live to watch over him.

Please, contact me as soon as you receive this message if you will be able to
handle this project by assuring me of your willingness and capabilities as
well as your sincerity and not capitalizing on my present health Condition to
betray me; respond back to me as soon as possible.

Thanks and I await to hear from you.
To God be the Glory
Mrs.Ofich Vine

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam