419 scam: "Mrs. Vivian Douglas"<eric2m@hawaiiantel.net> URGENT ATTENTION: PLEASE DO REPLY

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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)
- "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)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Vivian Douglas" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vividouglas@web.de>
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2018 08:59:09 -0800
Subject: URGENT ATTENTION: PLEASE DO REPLY

Good day,

Greetings to you, and sorry if this message came to you as a surprise. My name is Mrs. Vivian Douglas 78years old, a citizen of Australia and a business woman residing in United Kingdom. I am a widow and I found your email address through my husband's internet data (late Mr. Anthony Douglas).

I am presently admitted at the hospital suffering from cancer for more than 2years. I have some funds deposited at a bank in United Kingdom which I inherited from my late husband, the amount of US$15.500,000.00 (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only).I wish to know if I can trust you to use this funds to carry out a charity project on my husband name because this have been his dream to start up a project on behalf of the less privileged ones before his death.

I do not have the strength to further send emails at the moment but the resident Attorney will help you with details on my behalf because every document and information have been given to him just in case i am no more on earth. Presently, I'm in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have some months to live. It is my last wish to see this money distributed to charity organizations and church/widows to help the sick and also use for things of God anywhere in the World. Because relatives and friends have plundered so much of my wealth since my illness, I cannot live with the agony of entrusting this huge responsibility to any of them. Please, I beg you in the name of God to help me Stand and collect the Funds from the Bank. I want a person that is God fearing that will use this money to fund churches, orphanages and widows propagating the word of God and to ensure that the house of God is maintained. The

I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly manner. Hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my soundless voice and presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I don't want them to know about this development. With God all things are possible. Soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of my late Husband Attorney who is in London as he will be the one to assist you in laying claims for these funds.

I wish you good luck and a wonderful day ahead and contact me back.

Yours in the Lord,
Mrs. Vivian Douglas

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam