419 scam: "Mrs.Precious Wilson" <preciouswilson1@gmail.com> Dearest Beloved

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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:
- "million 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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Precious Wilson" <preciouswilson1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: preciouswilson@cantv.net
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 23:49:03 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Dearest Beloved

Dearest Beloved,
I am ill and will die. My name is Mrs.Precious Wilson,I want to donate all
i have to charity if i can trust you to share this donation to the
motherless homes in your state and country,reply immediately with your
cell phone number, address & full name so that i will (WILL) my wealth to
you before dying,I realy need your assistance to help the poor who can not
buy foods to eat.

As soon as I receive your reply with the needed details,I will instruct my
family lawyer to contact you for the release of the donation to you.

I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul hence my reason to
decide to give what I have to charity as I never had children.

I want this to be one of the last good deed on earth. I want to give you
the authority to dispatch my last funds to any charity of your choice.I
have Four million dollars in a financial institution. I want you to keep
fifty percent of this amount for yourself and time, while you keep the
other fifty percent for the charity donation.
I will tell you what next to do
Thanks May God Be With
Mrs.Precious Wilson

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam