419 scam: "Mrs. Churchill"<gracewood254@rocketmail.com> My Dearest,

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- churchillpatricia317@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Churchill" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <churchillpatricia317@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:51:19 -0400
Subject: My Dearest,

My Dearest,

How are you today, My Compliment. Please don’t be offended, I got this your Email id. from your country's guestbook.

Am Mrs. Churchill Patricia from Denmark, 54 yrs., a Widow with No Child with my late husband who died 4 Yrs. Ago in Nigeria where we lived and he worked as a petrochemical Engineer by profession with oil Company there for 21 years.

Am suffering from a Long time Cancer of Breast that affected my Lung/liver, As doctors confirmed that I have less than Two months to live.

I shared my fortunes among individuals, Charity organizations, and I WILLED (Donated) my Deposited $10,000,000.00USD with Assurance Bank of Nigeria Plc West Africa to you for benevolence Works of God Especially for Cancer patients, Orphanages home where i was raised and keep part of the principal amount to support yourself, Reach me now on Email: churchillpatricia317@yahoo.com.hk for full details.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs. Churchill

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam