419 scam: Mrs Ruth Williams <goodservice479@gmail.com> ATTENTION PLEASE

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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)
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.
- barrjim_aro@aol.com (AOL; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Mrs Ruth Williams <goodservice479@gmail.com>
Reply-To: ibobopastor@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:57:01 -0700
Subject: ATTENTION PLEASE

--
My name is Mrs Ruth Williams; 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 of cancer for about 2 years ago, immediately after the death
of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for. Because the
doctors told me that 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. Jim Aro) with this
email:(barrjim_aro@aol.com) and tell him that I have
donated($35,400,000.00) to you and I have also notified him. I know
you donâ€™t know me but I have been directed to do this through the
revelation i had. my lawyer will assist you to claim the money from
the Eco Bank where it is being deposited.

Thanks and God bless.

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.
Mrs. Ruth Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam