419 scam: "LAWYER MS. DIANA SEAH" <inbox@moerstaal.nl> YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!

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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:
- "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)
- "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)
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "LAWYER MS. DIANA SEAH" <inbox@moerstaal.nl>
Reply-To: lawyerdianaoffice@btinternet.com
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:19:20 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!!

Greeting,

I am using this little opportunity to share this great business
opportunity with you,Which I believe is a business that will benefit both
of us,I am Barrister Ms. Diana Seah, I have a deceased client: Mr. Mateen
Nelson, who hereinafter shall be referred to as my client, who died as a
result of a protracted heart-related condition in the hospital on the 18th
March 2007.

I have contacted you to assist me in distributing the money left behind by
my client before it would be confiscated and declared unserviceable by the
Bank. This fund is valued at Eighteen Million and Nine Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars (US$18,900,000.00). The bank issued me a notice to
contact the next-of-kin to this account, or the account would be
confiscated.

I have found you as a trust-worthy individual with high esteem and
respect, and would want to seek your consent to present you to the Bank as
the next-of-kin and the true beneficiary of my client’s fund, so that the
proceeds of this account can be paid to you as his next-of-kin and the
true beneficiary, then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon
percentage.

All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin would
be provided to you to be issued to the Bank for claim authorization.

All I require of you is your honest and candid cooperation to enable this
transaction becomes a reality. This transaction would be executed under a
legitimate arrangement that would protect you from any breach of the law
whatsoever.

If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my
candid apology. But please contact me immediately once you indicate
interest in this proposition. More information regarding this proposal
would be furnished to you once I receive your immediate reply. I am
looking forward to seeing your kind and prompt reply. Thanks.

Faithfully,
Barrister Ms Diana Seah.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam