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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: "Marcus Jackson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info.marcusjackson@gmx.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2016 20:40:03 -0500
Subject: Hello

Hello,

Firstly, I must solicit your confidence in this transaction; this is by virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.

Let me start by first introducing myself properly to you. It may surprise you receiving this letter from me, since there was no previous correspondence between us. My name is Marcus Jackson personal Attorney to my client who died. He died in the year 2004. My purpose of searching for you and contacting you is for you to help me secure the funds left behind by my late client to avoid it being confiscated or declared un-serviceable by the Bank where this fund valued 2,950.000.00 (Two Million Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds Sterling) are deposited by my client before his death.

The Bank has been issuing notice to contact the next of kin or the account will be declared un- serviceable and the fund diverted to the Bank treasury, so far all my efforts to get a hold of someone related to this man has proved abortive. Hence, i have contacted you. I am actually asking for your consent to present you to the Bank as the next of Kin/beneficiary of my late client's fund, since you have the same surname, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to your bank account.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us achieve this transaction. I wish to point out that I suggest 10% of this money to be donated to Charity Organizations, while the remaining will be shared equally between us. If you are interested, please get back to me, upon your response, i shall then provide you with more details that will help you understand this transaction well.

The intended transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any infraction of the law. However, if this business proposition offends your moral ethics, do accept my sincere apology. If you wish to achieve this goal with me, kindly get back to me with your interest for further explanation. Include your contact telephone and fax number in your response.

Kindest Regards.



Marcus Jackson.

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