419 scam: "Mrs.Ruth Harper" <officef244@gmail.com> ATTN, URGENT RESPONSE

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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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "barrwilliamscosta12@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Ruth Harper" <officef244@gmail.com>
Reply-To: barrwilliamscosta12@outlook.com
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2019 02:15:21 -0700
Subject: ATTN, URGENT RESPONSE

My name is Mrs.Ruth Harper; I am a dying woman who has decided to donate
what I have to you/church. I am 59 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer
for about 2 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has
left me everything he worked for and because the doctors told me I will not
live longer than some weeks because of my health, I decided to donate the
sum of $35,400,000 (Thirty five million four hundred thousand dollars) to
you for the good work of humanity, and also to help the motherless and less
privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.

I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly,and
please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.
Contact my lawyer(Barr.Williams Costa) Email (
barrwilliamscosta12@outlook.com ): and tell him that I have
donated($35,400,000.00) to you and I have also notified him. I know I donâ€™t
know you but I have been directed to do this. my lawyer will assist you to
claim the money from the UBA Bank where it is being deposited.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until
the task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will jeopardize my
last wish.

Thanks and God bless.
Mrs.Ruth Harper.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam