419 scam: "Mrs.Bumara Helen" <bumara.helen@yahoo.com.ph> My Good Friend

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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:
- "abidjan" (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: "Mrs.Bumara Helen" <bumara.helen@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: helenbumara@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:23:12 +0900
Subject: My Good Friend

Dearest in the Lord

My greetings to you in the name of our Lord Christ I am Mrs. Helen Bumara from South Africa . I am living in Cote d'Ivoire I am contacting you because of my inheritance fund that my late Mother deposited in the famous banks in Cote D'Ivoire, the fund is the Sum of $2.5.Million suspense account under in one of the famous banks here in Abidjan capital of Cote d'Ivoire for safe keeping. Presently, my Doctor confirmed to me that I have serious sickness which is cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness.

Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a church or individual that will utilized this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want a church that will use this fund for orphanages, helping the widows, propagating the word of God and to endeavor that the house of God is maintained.

I am waiting to hear from you before I will realize more details about the fund and my Data information so that you will receive the fund in your account. I am waiting to hear from you.

Remain blessed in the Lord,

Yours sister in Christ,

Sister .Helen Bumara

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam