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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. KIRBY LINK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <kirbylink27@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:33:02 +0100
Subject: Reply Asap

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

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