419 scam: "Mark" <markdurstin@gmail.com> Very Kin Interest

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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:

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.
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark" <markdurstin@gmail.com>
Reply-To: markdurstin@live.com
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2013 02:58:15 -0000
Subject: Very Kin Interest

Hello

A client of our bank died few years ago alongside his family on boat
disaster and he left huge funds (Sixteen Million Seven Hundred United
States Dollars) unclaimed, No beneficiary and nobody know about this fund.
I have made several inquiries to locate any of my clients extended
relatives but all efforts were unsuccessful.

In my findings, it shows that your last name matches my late client. I
hereby seek the consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased
since you have the same last names.

I decided to contact you to assist in repatriating the fund left behind
by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the
bank.

Note: if you are interested, kindly provide me these information, your
full name, address, telephone, fax number, age and marital status.

Best regards,
Mr. Mark Durstin

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam