419 scam: MARY EDWARD PLEASE 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.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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)
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.
- marryedward95@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: MARY EDWARD
Reply-To: <marryedward95@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 2015 21:14:49 +0000
Subject: PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP

My Dear In Christ, Greetings to you in the most wonderful name of our Lord =
and Savior Jesus Christ.His richest blessings shall be upon you forever. We=
ll,I am Mrs. Mary Edwards,I am 42years old from New York, I am deaf and suf=
fering from a long time cancer of the Lungs which also affected my brain,fr=
om all indication my conditions is really deteriorating and it is quite obv=
ious that,according to my doctors they have advised me that I will live for=
the next two months,this is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very =
bad stage. I was brought up from a motherless babies home, was married to m=
y late husband for twenty years without a child. My husband died in a fatal=
motor accident.Before his death we were true Christians. Since his death I=
decide did not to re-marry,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposite=
d all the sum of $18.5million dollars with a reputable bank as a fixed depo=
sit amount with interest and most of the interest has gone into my hospital=
bills. I want you God fearing, to also use this money to fund churches,orp=
hanages and widows. I took this decision, before i rest in peace because my=
time will soon be up. Kindly contact me for more news. Yours in the Lord, =
Mrs.Mary Edward marryedward95@gmail.com=20

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam