419 scam: MISS MARY WILLIAMS CAN YOU HELP ME OUT PLS!!

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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.

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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.

Fraud email example:

From: MISS MARY WILLIAMS
Reply-To: <missmarywilliams1@googlemail.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2015 08:30:21 -0800
Subject: CAN YOU HELP ME OUT PLS!!

Dear Sir/ma, My name is Ms Mary Williams, 20yrs old daughter of prominent Politician who was murdered 5yrs ago. I do not have a mother as I was told that mom died earlier when I was 2yrs old, I was brought up by my father. I became Orphan without mother and father only family Lawyer who has been supportive, he told me that my father owned lots of properties and about $12m in cash, which was deposited in a bank in Europe.

The people that killed my father 5yrs ago are threatening to take my life, if I tried to lay claims to my fatherâ€™s property, I tried to reach the bank to have the fund deposited to my name, the bank demanded that Iâ€™m not matured yet to receive the fund myself, that my father stated in writing, I must be 30yrs or above to receive the fund, alternatively, I can present a foreigner or my husband, but Iâ€™m still single, so I need you to help me receive this fund, am ready to share 50% each with you after the fund is transfer to your account.
Upon your kind reply and willing to help me receive the funds then I will give you our family Lawyer's contact to speak with him to direct you how to contact the bank in Europe where my father deposited the $12m.

I will anticipate your respond.

Ms Mary Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam