419 scam: Ruth Gibbs <ruthgibbs100@yahoo.pt> Your urgent reply is needed

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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 friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "search for a reliable person" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand us 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "commission of 10%" (Beware of any scheme that involves depositing checks or money orders or receiving wire transfers in your bank account and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere, for a percentage of 5-15% of the total. Such offers are *always* fraudulent and you will be liable for the entire amount when the checks, money orders or wire transfers turn out to be fraudulent. Any money already forwarded comes out of *your* pocket then. )
- "keep this confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Ruth Gibbs <ruthgibbs100@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Ruth Gibbs <ruthgibbs591@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2014 17:13:40 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Your urgent reply is needed

Dear Friend,

I am Mrs Ruth Gibbs, writing to inform you of our desire to invest in your company /country on behalf of Sheika Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned of Qatar. I got your contact from American Information Exchange (AMIX) in my search for a reliable person to handle a very confidential transaction on behalf of my client (Sheika Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned of Qatar). After going through your profile, I found it much interesting to contact you with this lucrative business proposal on her behalf.

Considering her very strategic and influential position, she would want this transaction to be as strictly confidential as possible. She further wants her identity to remain undisclosed at least for now, until the completion of the transaction.

It is important also that you know that my client is a woman married under Sharia Islamic laws to a Prince and she is hence incapacitated by her very marital circumstance. You may be aware that under Islamic laws, a woman may not own money, business or other chattel independent of her husband. The fund was secretly bequeathed to her by her father, who was crude oil broker and who is late. The fund was withdrawn from the Islamic bank and deposited with the Marvin group Trust â€“ Vault Company, the fund remains there.

My client wants to invest this fund properly to secure her future and that of her seven children. If you will be disposed to assist my client with receiving and transferring these funds to your country, for which you will be compensated with an initial commission of 10% of the fund, as represented by five million five hundred thousand US Dollars â€“ US$5,500,000 of the said $55 Million, while you will be commissioned to invest the remainder of the fund as you may deem fit under a future agreement to ensure a 7% profit over capital per annum for a period of 5years on the accrued to my client.

Hence our desire to have you as our overseas agent to protect and invest her funds into a profitable business. I have therefore been directed to inquire if you would agree to accept this offer and act as her overseas agent in order to actualize this transaction. If you can handle this, then you can get back to me via email: but if you are not interested, kindly keep this confidential for her interest and that of mine.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs Ruth Gibbs

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam