419 scam: "Mrs.Zanab Ahmed"<zanabmrsz@aol.com> Greetings,

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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 united state 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)
- "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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.
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.
- zanabmrszan@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Zanab Ahmed" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zanabmrszan@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:13:17 +0100
Subject: Greetings,

My name is Mrs.Zanab Ahmed, widow to late Mr. Hassan Ahmed former owner of Al Hassan Petroleum
and Gas company, here in Qatar. I am 68years old, suffering from long time cancer of the breast.
>From all indications my condition is really deteriorating and it's quite obvious that I won't
live more than 2 months according to my doctors. This is because the cancer stage has
gotten to a very bad stage. I don’t want your pity but I need your trust.

My late husband died early last year from heart attack, and during the period of our marriage
we couldn't produce any child. My late husband was very wealthy and after his death, I inherited
all his business and wealth. The doctor has advised me that I will not live for more than 2 months,
so I have now decided to spread all my wealth to contribute mainly to the development of charity
in Africa, America, Asia and Europe. am sorry if you are embarrassed by my mail, I found your
e-mail address in the web directory, and I have decided to contact you, but if for any reason
you find this mail offensive, you can ignore it and please accept my apology.

Before my late husband died he was a major oil tycoon, in Qatar and deposited the
sum of $18 Million Dollars (eighteen Million United State Dollars) in a company
some years ago, that is all I have left now, having know my condition, I decided to
establish communication in asking or need you to collect this funds and distribute it yourself
to charities. so that when I die my soul can rest in peace. The funds will be entirely in your hands
and management. I hope God gives you the wisdom to touch very many lives, that is my main concern.
10% of this money will be for your time and effort, while 90% goes to charity like I have stated.

Please kindly get back to me if you will assist me or not in carrying out the good work of God Thanks
as I wait your urgent response, Kindly send email to me with my private email address Email:zanabmrszan@aol.com

God bless you.

Mrs.Zanab Ahmed

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam