419 scam: Anna Helma <biblioteca@hflleras.gov.co> Hello dear

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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:
- "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)
- "time is running out" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- loveall252@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Anna Helma <biblioteca@hflleras.gov.co>
Reply-To: Anna Helma <loveall252@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 19:01:17 -0500 (COT)
Subject: Hello dear

Hello dear,

Greetings to you in the most wonderful name of our God Almighty. His richest
blessings shall be upon you forever. I am Mrs. Anna Helma, I
am from Iran but presently a citizen of Britain, I am suffering from a long
time cancer of the Lungs which also affected my brain, from all indication my
conditions is really deteriorating and it is quite obvious that, according to
my doctors they have advised me that I live for the next few months,
this is because the cancer stage has
gotten to a very bad stage.

I was brought up in a motherless babies home, got married to my late husband
twenty years ago without a child. My husband died in a fatal motor accident.

Since his death I decided not to re-marry, I inherited the family
properties and have sold the major ones since i am no longer healthy to take
care of them. I deposited the sum of $13.5 million dollars in a Bank as a
short term Deposit. Presently, this money is still with them and the management
of the Bank just informed me to come and renew the deposit or to cash it
because the agreed time is running out. Presently, because of my wish to have a
charity organization in your country i decided to contact you to help make my
dream come true by accepting to claim the fund from my bank and use it to run
any charity organization of your choice in my name. I believe you are a God
fearing person. I took the decision of contacting you after so much prayers
and I believe that my God will be with you as you take up this glorious
challenge!

As soon as I receive your reply I shall involve the bank and their attorney
who will issue you Power of Attorney which will stand as a legal authority to
claim the fund from my bank as the new beneficiary of my fund.

Presently, I'm communication with you with the help of the hospital computer
where I have been undergoing treatment for cancer of the lungs. I have since
lost my ability to talk fluently and my doctors have told me that I have only a
few months to live. Its my last wish to see that the money is used to build a
charity organization like motherless babies home where I come from or orphanage
and widows.

Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I have clearly
stated so that we can proceed for further arrangement and directives.

Please for the sake of confidentiality, I want you to reply this
letter to my personal email address where I have more confidence:
loveall252@gmail.com

Yours truly,
Mrs. Anna Helma

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam