419 scam: "Williams Dlovu"<dlovuwilliams@hotmail.com> Happy Ester,

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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:
- "dear beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "liberia" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "god fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a orphan scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Williams Dlovu" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <dlovuwilliams@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 22:50:11 +0200
Subject: Happy Ester,

Dear beloved,

How are you and your family doing today? Hope all is well with you all.

Please I want you to see this mail as Gods connection to me and you, because I have been long searching for a God fearing person who I can trust and have faith in whatever I will do with him or her.

I am Williams Dlovu from Liberia, the son of Michael Dlovu, former Minister of Mines and Industry. Our parents were killed in the Liberia war when they were trying to escape to meet us in USA. Our Father deposited 13.6 Million U.S Dollars with Quality Service Security Keeper, for safe keeping and before his death he instructed that I should claim it to look after my only sister and myself.

My junior sister and I are now in New York city USA, to notify claims of the fund. We intend to invest this money abroad, hence my contacting you is to advise us how best we can invest this money in your country, and to stand for use as the security company refused to release the fund to us because of our age, and ask us to get an elderly man or woman to stand for us and claim the fund. So we are pleading to you for your kind assistance and elderly support to get the fund released to us.

We have all the vital documents covering the deposit fund and the ownership which I can send on request.

Please send your direct phone and fax numbers for more information on your reply.

Thank you very much for the anticipated acceptance while I expect your prompt response.

Best regards,

Williams Dlovu

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam