Hello how may I help you? Hi, can you help me figure out if I'm being scammed? go ahead I keep getting emails from someone who says they're my mom and she needs $5000 to get out of a jail in Africa. it's a scam But if she's really in jail, how is she getting access to email? it's a scammer Oh, I wasn't sure because my mom really is a criminal.. So it seemed realistic for her. ok Should I forward this email to the police? sure