419 scam: "Mr. Kirby Link" <kirbylink2@live.com> REPLY ASAP, IT'S VERY URGENT.

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- kirbylink27@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Kirby Link" <kirbylink2@live.com>
Reply-To: kirbylink27@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:48:46 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: REPLY ASAP, IT'S VERY URGENT.

Hello,

I am contacting you based on a transfer of a huge sum of funds from a
deceased account. Though, I know that a transaction of this magnitude will
make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all
arrangements will be legally done, we are contacting you due to its
urgency.

We discovered an abandoned sum of (Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) in an account that belongs to our foreign customer
(late) who died along with his entire family. Since his death, none of his
next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims over this fund as
the heir/beneficiary. The funds cannot be released from his account unless
someone applies for claims as the next-of-kin/beneficiary to the deceased
as indicated in our banking guidelines.

Upon discovery, we now seek your permission to have you stand as next of
kin/beneficiary to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully
and legally worked out by us for the funds (Eight Million Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars) to be released in your favor as the
beneficiary/next of kin. It may interest you to know that we have secured
from the probate office an order of "Mandamus" to locate any of the
deceased beneficiaries.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual
business endeavor by furnishing me with the following;

1. Beneficiary Name and Present Contact Address.
2. Direct Telephone, Fax and Mobile Number.
3. Date of Birth And Occupation

These requirements will enable us file a letter of claims to the
appropriate departments for necessary approval documents in your favor
before the transfer can be made. We shall be compensating you with 10% on
final conclusion of this project.

Your share stays while the rest shall be for us for investment purposes in
your country. If this proposal is acceptable by you, please do not take
undue Advantage of the trust we have bestowed on you.

I await your urgent respond

Regards,

Mr. Kirby Link
NB: Send me all the necessary information I have requested from you if
truly You are willing to assist me in this transaction. Here is my
alternative E-mail: kirbylink27@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam