419 scam: "MRS . LINDA MECCA"<infos@bedroomfurnitureonsale.co.uk> Dear sir/madam

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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "huge amount of money" (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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- blessedmecca@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MRS . LINDA MECCA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <blessedmecca@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 21:49:22 -0500
Subject: Dear sir/madam

Dear sir/madam
You may be surprised to receive this letter from me since you do not know me personally. The purpose of my introduction is that I’m 28 years old and a Scottish citizen who was taken to Israel by my father at the young age of 9. He deceived me that I was going there on vacation and later married me off to a wealthy man in Israel who is 30 years older than me.
I was thus forced into marriage and when I objected I was beaten and raped by this man. I was locked up in a house for three years after which I submitted and decided to accept my faith, knowing that was the only way out. After I got my freedom back I have been allowed by my husband to have access to his businesses. Over the years I am been able to acquire some money $20,000,000.00 (twenty million dollars), which I diverted into a private finance house without his knowledge.
Right now we are divorced and he don't want to allow me to leave because his older than me and feels I need to stay under his care till the divorce paper is being signed, Right now I am waiting for our divorce paper to be ready which will take time and I don't want him to know I have such amount of money because I have really suffered in his hands for such a long time, I have a friend who secured the funds for me in a security company , This is where I need your assistance to contact him, He works with the Cargo courier company and his ready to help us move the money to avoid been detected by my husband. After which you will help me secure the fund before I get out of Israel. If you know you are capable of handling such a huge amount of money respond to me and I will compensate you by giving you 40% of the total fund.
Note also that you must keep this transaction secret as my life is at stake if my husband or any of his relatives hear of this transaction they will stone me to death or hang me.
Respond to me immediately so we can proceed via my personal email. blessedmecca@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam