419 scam: "Alice Hall" <vineyard@alicehall.me.uk> My Willing Donation!

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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:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Alice Hall" <vineyard@alicehall.me.uk>
Reply-To: mydonation@alicehall.info
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2017 21:15:21 -0700
Subject: My Willing Donation!

My Dearest In The lord, Let me first of all inform you, I got your email ad=
dress from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go =
ahead, although I am not comfortable discussing this means due to lots of u=
nsolicited mails on the internet presently, but I have no other medium to d=
o so right now since the situation of my health is deteriorating. I am Mrs =
Alice Hall I got your email address from a mail Directory and decided to ma=
il you in search for a reliable/honest person who could be of help; I am a =
dying woman who has decided to donate what I have to you/Organization. I am=
62 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer, immediately after the death o=
f my husband, who had left me everything he worked for. I have been touched=
by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to you fo=
r the good work of God, .Please pray that the good Lord forgives me my sins=
. I have asked God to forgive me and I believe he has because He is a merci=
ful God. I am married to Pilot Raymond Hall an English Pilot who died. When=
my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of 5.5 Million Pounds Sterl=
ing which were derived from his vast estates and investment in capital mark=
et with a security company here in UK. Presently this money is still with t=
he Security Company and the management just Wrote me as the beneficiary to =
come forward to receive the money or rather Issue a letter of authority to =
somebody to receive it on my behalf. I am presently in a hospital where I h=
ave been undergoing treatment Cancer of the lungs.. I have since lost my ab=
ility to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to =
live so I think the best thing to do is to use the money for charity purpos=
es. I want a person who is trustworthy that I will make the beneficiary of =
my late Husband's Fund deposited with the bank so that the person can get t=
he money and utilize 60% of this money to fund churches, orphanages and wid=
ows around the world. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the =
contact details of the Lawyer. My Lawyer will also issue you a letter of au=
thority that will prove you as the new beneficiary of this fund. Please ass=
ure me that you will act accordingly as I stated here in and Keep this cont=
act confidential till such a time this funds get to your Custody. This is t=
o ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth. I will wait here f=
or your Response before I go ahead and inform my Lawyer about my intentions=
I await your urgent reply. May almighty God bless you and your family. Mrs=
Alice Hall

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam