419 scam: "mburgess01@mail2world.com"<mburgess01@mail2world.com> (Business Letter From Mr.Mark Burgess)

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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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "affidavit of claim" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "trunk box" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "affidavit " (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "mburgess01@mail2world.com" (may be fake)
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 06:52:40 +0100
Subject: (Business Letter From Mr.Mark Burgess)

*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(r) Pro*
Dear Sir,
With warm heart I offer my friendship, and greetings, and I hope this mail meets you in good time.However strange or surprising this contact might seem to you as we have not met personally or had any dealings in the past, I humbly ask that you take due consideration of its importance and immense benefit. I duly apologize for infringing on your privacy; if this contact is not acceptable to you First and foremost I wish to introduce my self properly to you.

My name is Mark Burgess I am 50years old married man white hair all over my head with two kids I work in a security company here in Ghana and it happened that one of our depositor who share the same last name with you and a national of your country deposited one trunk box more than 5years as family valuables and treasure valued at US$15,500,000:00 (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) died in Sierra Leon in the hands of the rebels where he has gone to deal in diamond and gold, but I am privileged to know that the content of the one box is US$15,500,000:00 in Cash because I was the won that received the one box from the late depositor and I was the one that issued him his certificate of deposit and he begged me to write in the deposit certificate that the content is Family valuable and treasure worth US$15,500,000:00 and I went along with him based on what he promised me he will give me when he comes to collect his deposit but unfortunately he never came back and we found out one yea

Sir the company have since then tried everything possible to locate any of his relation/next of kin without any success and that is why I had to write you this mail because I will if you agree to make you his next of kin and beneficiary of his deposit with our company because if I don’t it will go as abandoned deposit and the company management will hand it over to the government.

Sir i want to assure you that this will be done 100% legal and risk free because I will swear an Affidavit Of Fact From a high court here in Ghana and an Affidavit of Claim from the Ministry of Justice and with these two documents the security company will have no choice than to make you the next of kin and beneficiary of the deposit.

Sir the reason why it is you that I contacted is divine in the sense that when I decided to look for a foreigner that will be my partner I got your name with three other Americans and I gave them to my spiritual pastor whom after seven days of fasting and praying told me you are the one that was revealed to him that I should contact that you are elderly matured and a very Honest and Trustworthy person that you will never cheat me or run away with the fund.If you agree our sharing formula will be 50/50 I am a very straightforward person.

I wait for your response.
Best regards.
Mr.Mark Burgess

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