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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: "Caroline van Geest" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <carolinevangeest01@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:45:14 -0700
Subject: Forgive My Unprecedented Proposal

Dear friend,
 
My name is Caroline van Geest, I work with one of the leading financial institution in the Netherlands,
as the Head, Corporate and Investment Banking Division.  I am writing you once again regarding my
previous message concerning a deceased client who died of heart attack in the year 2000, leaving
behind a fixed depository investment sum of 17.8 Million Euros without any registered heir/beneficiary
made with the bank before his demise.
 
Hence, I hereby seek your consent to present you as his next of kin/beneficiary, since you have
similarity in name identity with our late client and can perfectly fit in as his next of kin, while we share
the proceeds in the ratio 50:50 each, after a successful claim.  I have given you all the necessary
details to this effect, without any positive response from you, so kindly get back to me today for
further details.
Thank you.
 
Caroline.

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