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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: "MARK SMITH LLC" <marklegal@un.org>
Reply-To: marksmith115@gmx.fr
Date: 07 Nov 2019 12:03:33 -0500
Subject: LAST AND FINAL WARNING!!!

Dear Email [-],

The United Kingdom's Treasury Department receives over ?10bn
every year from unclaimed estates; forgotten funds; abandoned
shares and dormant accounts.This letter is a final warning notice
regarding the death of my Late client Edward, wife and only
daughter while on holiday at Louisiana USA in the August 2005
Atlantic hurricane Katrina disaster. According to the laws of
England and Wales, section 46 of the Administration of Estates
Act of 1925 (with subsequent amendments). My late client's bank
has issued me a Final written notice to provide his next-of-kin
within 7 days or have his funds declared UNCLAIMED and sent into
government treasury.

I have been in charge of managing his properties here in London
for a long time. There were some of his properties put out for
sale before his death,for which payment has since been made. The
proceeds of the sale is deposited into his local account here. I
found your name in some of his documents and that is why I traced
your email through an advanced search.

I am contacting you because you bear the same last-name with my
late client.I want to know if you are in anyway related to my
late client.

Regards,

Mark Smith (Attorney at Law)
Principal Partner

Anti-fraud resources: