419 scam: "Esther van Leeuwen"<railway@ms1.tra.gov.tw> Request

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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 beloved," (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will advice you " (this email uses bad English)
- "@lawyer.com" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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.
- h.m@lawyer.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Esther van Leeuwen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <esther_vanleeuwen@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:59:58 +0100
Subject: Request

Dear Beloved,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus. I am Ms. Esther van Leeuwen a 75-years old woman living in United Kingdom. According to our bible in Ecclesiastes 1:2 which says Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. I am a dying woman who God has touched in a glorious way to fulfill His blessing toward charity/Mankind.

In Two (2) years ago I was diagnosed with cancer of the breast. I have asked God for forgiveness and I believed He has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in for an operation on Friday, which the Doctor has indirectly said is 50/50 chance of surviving. Beloved, I got your contact from your country business directory and decided to contact you on this project of God.

I have decided to WILL/donate the sum of $10.2Million USD (Ten Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars) to you for the good work of God and to serve His divine purpose and favor to humanity. Due to my health situation, I am only privilege to send you this letter with the help of a lady nurse here who has be so kind to me.

My family lawyer is aware of the fact that I am ready to adjust my WILL for this purpose, I will advice you contact her about the subject matter for WILL adjustment and she we instruct you on the proceeding and instruction to get the WILL adjust; she will notify me in the hospital for further clarification to signed the necessary column of the WILL. My Family Lawyer information is Mrs. Helen McDowell Email: h.m@lawyer.com United Kingdom. She will instruct you on every step/information needed to get this done.

All I ask of you is to make sure that you use this fund for the work of God to fulfill His divine purpose and favor to humanity. It is clear that I dont know you BUT God known you more than I can ever do. For this purpose I bow my knees and pray for you, May the Lord bless you abundantly as you fulfill this mystery toward charity and Humanitarian service. Thus, you are to use 50% of the funds for this Humanitarian Mission while 10% goes to my family Lawyer and 40% goes to you for your faithfulness toward God and mankind.

Lastly, I want you to pray for me regarding my health situation, because I have come to find out that to everything there is a season; and a time to every purpose under the heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:18) May the Grace of our Lord, the love of God, and the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forever more, Amen.

Yours Faithfully

Ms. Esther van Leeuwen

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam