419 scam: "Vera De Brauw"<vebrauw@hotmail.com> My Inheritance

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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- houthoff_baker@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- my lawyer with this specified email contact: email: houthoff_baker@aol.com name: barrister: houthoff baker inform him that i have (Aol; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Vera De Brauw" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <houthoff_baker@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2014 22:19:21 +0200
Subject: My Inheritance

Dear Sir/Madam,

Peace of the lord be with you.

After going through your profile, i decided to contact you for assistance and distribution of my inheritance.

My name is Vera De Brauw, a dying woman who have decided to donate what i have to you/ church. I am 48 years old and i was diagnosed for cancer for about 9 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband who lived all his life in Australia, 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 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 will be going in for an operation couple of hours from now, and I have decided to WILL/donate the sum of $5,500,000 to you for the good work of the lord, and to help the motherless and less privilege and for the assistance of the widows.

Now i cannot take any telephone calls right now because my relatives are around me. 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.

Contact: My lawyer with this specified email contact:
Email: houthoff_baker@aol.com
Name: Barrister: Houthoff Baker

Inform him that i have WILLED ($5,500,000.00) to you and i have 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 have been directed to do this by my instinct.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished, as I do not want anything that will jeopardize my last wish. In addition, I will be contacting with you by email, as I do not want my relation or anybody to know because they are always around me.

Regards,
Vera De Brauw (Mrs.) vebrauw@hotmail.com
My Lawyer Contact Email Address: houthoff_baker@aol.com

Anti-fraud resources:

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