419 scam: "Miss Valeria Williams"<valeria2015@bellair.net> My inheritance plea for investment & urgent.

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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 beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "trunk box" (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)
This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Miss Valeria Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <valeria.2015@bellair.net>
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2015 00:00:05 -0700
Subject: My inheritance plea for investment & urgent.

Dear beloved,

Good day, please my late father Hon. Engineer A. Williams who was a Diamond and Gold trader with the Mining Industries, and a Contractor as well as an investor in some Countries and trade from Ghana to all African Countries, United States, Europe and as well as Asia before he was poisoned by his colleague.

My late father left $1.8 million Usd with a bank in United Kingdom and is my inheritance, and they bank has called me for claims but i really do not know know what to invest on, can you assist me to invest funds in any lucrative business of your choice in your country while i further studies? as well, you will help receive some large volume of Gold dust (Gold in a Trunk Box) that was left with a security company in Ghana by my late father.

Again, i will offer you 25% of the funds. please forward to me your telephone numbers and address so that we can be talking on phone.

Note that my inheritance is 100% legitimate and i will also forward every details and its related deposit documents as soon as you write back to me.

Thanks and awaits your feedback.

Yours,

Miss Valeria.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam