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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: "Stephen Shapiro" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <agent2@sheargoldltd.cu.cc>
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2021 08:21:54 -0500
Subject: COVID-19 Recovery & Economic Support

My name is Stephen Shapiro, General Counsel, as the new General Counsel it’s my responsibility to seek out a diseased Barclays Bank Private Banking client’s next of kin in other for them to receive and manage the estate of their relatives

We have a case that is peculiar as we have a diseased person who passed away as a result of complications with COVID-19. Before his demise he left an instruction that proceeds from his fixed deposit account should be used for charitable course and also for research to find cure and vaccine for COVID-19. after his death I have tried to trace his relative because his record did not show any information on family or any relative, after my research and investigation I have come to accept that there is no relative of his here in the country and the English law on inheritance is that if beneficiary of an estate is not found to claim the Inheritance his family relative no matter the distance should be allowed to claim the Inheritance

So I want to give you a chance to come forward and claim the fund as a distant family relative and therefor a beneficiary of the fund, all the information as discovered by me during the investigation to enable a successful completion of the claim and the transfer of the fund will be made available to you.

So if you are willing and interested to claim this estate / fund as there is no risk and the claim can be completed within 7 working days, you can send your response through the email below and I will commence further communication with you and all the information and documents will be forwarded to you.

Yours Truly

Stephen Shapiro Esq.

Anti-fraud resources: