419 scam: "Mrs. Jane Smith"<mrs.janesmithwishes3@yahoo.com.cn> My las wish

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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:
- "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)
- "abidjan" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Jane Smith" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrsjanesmith@gmx.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 17:59:56 +0330
Subject: My las wish

Good day my dearly beloved

How are you and how is your family,After a thorough search and prayers i have decided to contact you to help me carry out my last wishes,permit me to introduce myself to you.

I am Mrs Jane Smith from Netherland, I am 68 years old, I am deaf and suffering from a long time cancer of the breast. From all indication my condition is really deteriorating, and my doctor have courageously advised me that I may not live beyond the next two months, this is because the cancer stage has reached a critical extent, of which I am having difficulties unable to move my entire body. I was brought up in a motherless babies home, and was married to my late husband for twenty years without a child.

My husband and I are true Christians, we lived all day in Abidjan, Ivory coast, since he was working here as a contractor, but quite unfortunately,he died in a fatal motor accident.Since his death I decided not to re-marry and because of my bad state of health,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited all the sum of $12.8million dollars with a bank in NEW YORK United States.

I want you to help me use the funds to help the charity deaf and the motherless babies home before i die. If you are a good and honest person i shall give you the contact of my lawyer and also the Deposit Certificate so as to claim my funds before my death.Expecting your urgent response and may God bless you as you carry out my wish. yours dying sister.

Mrs. Jane Smith

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam