419 scam: Karen Garcia <kgarcia3@att.net> I NEED YOUR URGENT RESPONSE

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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 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: Karen Garcia <kgarcia3@att.net>
Reply-To: mrskgarcia3@yahoo.com
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2011 05:28:29 -0800 (PST)
Subject: I NEED YOUR URGENT RESPONSE

Good Day

My name is Mrs. Karen Garcia, I am married to Mr. Carlos Garcia a Canadian nationality, working as a manager in a oil company in the Republic of Ghana. To be sincerely speaking, i am my husband had been infected with one of the most powerful disease known as Aids for the past 30 years now. Though we are happily married but no kid has come our way. My husband died from the disease since 9 years ago. But before he died, he deposited $35million dollars with a security company for a safe keeping.

Since my husband died, i have been taking my time to look for a profitable business to invest the money on before i become terribly tired and sick. My doctor told me I would not survive after the next five weeks. Because i am also suffering from Aids and heart/kidney cancer. When i had no one to take over the property left behind, I intend to make a donation of property and the money to a Charity Organization

I will be happy to give you this money so that half of it can help you in any of your ongoing project, and also you will donate half of it to the Charity Organization. I will be happy if you accept this because it is a gift that I made and without asking anything in return and as i have said i have no much time to use on earth.

Contact me as soon as possible to direct you on how you will get the money before my time is up.

Regards.
Karen Garcia.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam