419 scam: "Mrs. Elizabeth Patton"<mrs.elizabeth.patton@wateen.net> Re: May God Bless You

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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:
- "god-fearing " (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Elizabeth Patton" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrs.elizabeth.patton@onionmail.org>
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 11:36:12 -0800
Subject: Re: May God Bless You

Beloved One,

My name is Mrs. Elizabeth Patton, and I found your email address through an Internet search in an online e-mail database directory. We don't know each other, but my spirit led me to write you this email. I am a dying, sick woman, and I'm writing from my sick bed. I want to donate $2,400,000 United States dollars to you for charity work all over the world.

I am writing to you with heavy tears in my eyes and great sorrow in my heart because my doctor informed me that it will only take the will of God for me to survive due to my complicated health issues (cancer). Based on this, I want to transfer my late husband's inheritance fund of $2,400,000 United States dollars to a faithful and God-fearing person who will use it according to my and my late husband's wishes, as we have no child after so many years of marriage.

I want you to use the funds for charity causes, while 15% will be yours to keep as compensation for taking on this responsibility to help mankind. A lot of people are suffering right now in the world, and I want you to use this money to help as many people as possible. The expenses should be made to charities such as orphanages, homes for motherless babies' homes, poor widows, the disabled, humanitarian causes, and people who need money to revive the economy or business.

I will wait to hear from you to see if you can handle this task with honesty and in good faith.

Warm wishes.
Mrs. Elizabeth Patton

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam