419 scam: "From Mrs. Katherine Alberto"<katherine.alberto55@gmail.com> Can I trust you for this important assignment?

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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:
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (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)
- ",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)
- "my names are " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "From Mrs. Katherine Alberto" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <katherine.alberto22@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2017 13:39:17 -0700
Subject: Can I trust you for this important assignment?

Hello my dear,

With due respect and humanity, I'm compelled by writing to you under a humanitarian ground. My Names are Mrs. Katherine Alberto, 55 years old from Switzerland. I am married to Mr. Stefano Marc Leo from Switzerland but presently we are living in Cotonou, Benin Republic, West Africa. We are married for about 25 years now but unfortunately without any child. We did our best but unfortunately that is not the WILL of God.

Sadly, I lost my husband for exactly one year and six months now. He died after a sudden Cardiac Arrest. I am writing this message to you with pains and tears in my eyes. My heart is too heavy and my days are numbered. I am a Cancer Patient and few weeks ago, my Doctor told me that I would not likely live for the next three (3) months due to my cancer problem (Breast Cancer). My situation and illness is getting worse day by day and I'm afraid of giving up my life without confiding with you the purpose of writing this email/message to you.

Furthermore, before my husband died last year there is this sum of {US$8,500,000.00}, Eight Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars that he deposited with a BANK here in Benin Republic and presently the fund is still with the Bank. Having known my condition I have decided to donate this fund to individual that will utilize this fund the way I'm going to instruct herein. I want somebody that will use this fund according to the desire of my late husband to help the less privileged people, orphanages, widows. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this fund, and I don't want in a way this fund will be wrongly used and wasted.

I hope I can trust you over this huge assignment and task. Therefore, if you wish that you can really help me to actualize this vision and dream, please kindly indicate your readiness and interest immediately upon receiving this proposal. Remain blessed as you listening to my plight and predicament.

Your beloved sister,

Mrs. Katherine Alberto.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam