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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: "LinkedIn Network" <LinkedIn@member.com>
Reply-To: mastergivens@outlook.com
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2015 06:19:11 -0600
Subject: HIGH MUTUAL BENEFIT


From: Mr. Master Givens
Metro Bank, United Kingdom
Date: 29th January, 2015 Good day to you. Hope you are in good health? I=
pray the blessings of this day rest on you as you go through this proposal=
of high mutual benefit, please take this seriously for it is no joke. I am=
Mr. Master Givens working here as an auditor for the Metro Bank. It was wi=
th pains, i found your contact through personal endeavors.
A foreigner with the same last name as yours, died here in UK twelve yea=
rs ago, leaving behind an estate/capital (US$31.8M with interest) here in M=
etro Bank, till date nobody has come forward or put application for the cla=
im. I confirm with certainty that the said investor died intestate, no ne=
xt-of-kin to his estate, no body came forward all these years and of settle=
d conviction that, using my insider leverage, i working with you can secure=
the funds in the account for us instead of allowing it pass as unclaimed f=
unds into the coffers of Government of UK. This is especially possible as y=
ou bear the same LAST NAME with the investor, of course you shall be handso=
mely rewarded for your part in this transaction as my colleague and i are p=
repared to allocate 20% of the total funds to you for your efforts. Affi=
rm your willingness to cooperation please, by replying with your DATE OF BI=
RTH, TELEPHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBER, AND CONTACT ADDRESS. Please reply also i=
f you are not able to cooperate to allow me continue my search. Expectin=
g your prompt response. Thank you, Mr. Master Givens

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