419 scam: "Mrs Kim Phat"<kim.phaatt@gmail.com> Regarding Family

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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:
- "stay blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs Kim Phat" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kim.phaat@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2016 03:15:53 -0800
Subject: Regarding Family

Good day to you,

I am Mrs. Kim Phat, the wife of late Mr Ming Phat.I have suffered maltreatment and untold hardship in the hands of my late husband's family, since the death of my husband with my son and daughter in a car crash. By tradition, all that my late husband had, [wealth] belongs to his brothers/family. And myself is to be remarried by his immediate younger brother which I vehemently refused. They have taken all that I suffered with my husband to acquire including treasures, houses and his bank particulars seized by them.

I wanted to escape to another country but again they conspired and stole my international passport and
other traveling document to further frustrate me.

My late husband made a deposit valued at 14.5 Million with a Finance/Security company. It has therefore, become very necessary and urgent to contact someone, a foreigner like you to help me receive/secure these funds overseas in a reliable bank Account (presumably an empty Bank Account, if available) and to help invest it on my behalf as well, while i find a way of getting out to meet with you in your country.

If you can help me,I look forward to your urgent response, including your private phone / mobile No and also your fax no for easier communication.

Stay blessed.
Mrs Kim Phat.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam