419 scam: "Mrs. Stephanie Smith" <tieshaepalafox@gmail.com> I NEED YOUR HELP

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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.
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.
- smith.stephanie201@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Stephanie Smith" <tieshaepalafox@gmail.com>
Reply-To: smith.stephanie201@aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2023 06:02:20 +0300
Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP

May the peace of God be with you and your family. It might greatly
surprise reading from me today but consider this, a divine
intervention as a Rev explained to my understanding. My name is Mrs.
Stephanie Smith; a widow from Oklahoma USA and am writing you from my
sick bed, i have been fighting cancer and the doctors says i have only
few weeks left. I want to entrust a total sum of($8.5 million USD) to
your care for charity purposes to help the less privileged as my late
husband relatives want me dead so that they will claim all i and my
late husband worked for.

I was married to late Mr. Smith, a gold & diamond merchant based in
Burkina Faso, West Africa, where we live all our Lives for Thirty-two
years before he died in the year 2014. But is quite unfortunately, He
died in Auto crash accident along side our only Son

I will tell you more about me and everything on what you need to do
with the money once you receive it. Please write me as soon you can,
my health is pretty bad and my doctor said I will be moved to the
intensive care unit anytime soon. Have a blessed day and please do
pray for me.

God bless you.

Mrs. Stephanie Smith.

Email:(smith.stephanie201@aol.com)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam