419 scam: "Mrs. Mercy E Santos" <Office@suncor.com> HELP ME NOW

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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million pounds" (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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Mercy E Santos" <Office@suncor.com>
Reply-To: santosmercy@inbox.eu
Date: 08 Sep 2021 08:35:04 +0200
Subject: HELP ME NOW

Dear Friend

My Name is Mrs. Mercy E Santos and I am 45 years old a widow, I live in the United Kingdom and I came across your email prior to a private search whilst in need of your assistance. I am opportune to use this medium to exhibit my legal intentions towards your management. I lost my only Daughter “(4) years ago in an Auto crash with two (2) of her friends and now my husband on the Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic.

My present health is the reason why I am contacting you, I am a sick woman with CANCER and I have just (2) months to live on this earth according to my doctors and I don’t want to die living my late husbands deposited funds of £5.9 Million pounds with the bank to seat on it, I am using this opportunity crying out to you to be of assistance to lay claims to the funds as the person who I have chosen to manage my late husband funds.

I am offering you this great opportunity because I know you will use the funds £5.9 Million pounds very well as a God fearing person whom I have entrusted on, I sincerely want you to use the funds for Charity, Building of Motherless Homes and Donation to less privileged, I will appreciate your cooperation to achieve this goal for me knowing too well that you will also benefit mutually from it.

Finally, once I get a positive response in regards to my proposal to you, I will detail you on the next steps, be assured of a risk free transaction.

May God almighty bless you always and may you always be happy always.
Acknowledge the receipt of this letter via e-mail address: santosmercy@inbox.eu
Yours,

Mrs. Mercy E Santos

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam