419 scam: "Mr. Matt Hubbard"<johnmatt@info.org> Attn:Beneficiary

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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.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "necessary legal documents" (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. )
- "huge deposit" (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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Matt Hubbard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mattubbard@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2017 15:07:20 -0700
Subject: Attn:Beneficiary

I am Mr. Matt Hubbard, an Accountant with Lloyds Bank and am the personal Account Manager to Late Mr. Theodoros Angelopoulos.

Theodoros Angelopoulos (Herein after shall be referred to as my client), died late on Tuesday, 24 January 2012, several hours after being involved in an accident while shooting his latest film. Theo Angelopoulos the filmmaker had been with his crew in the area of Drapetsona, Piraeus Greece when he was hit by a motorcycle driven by an off-duty police officer. Unfortunately he lost his life in the event of the accident, since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of his extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several Unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of His family but of no avail, hence I contacted you to stand as his next of kin.

I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money in addition, property left behind by my client before they got Confiscated or declared non-serviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged. Particularly, Lloyds Bank, where the deceased had an account valued at about Nine Million Great British Pounds. Consequently, the bank issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the account confiscated within the next twenty official working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 5 years now, I hereby seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased based on the fact that you are a foreigner so that the proceeds of this account valued at Nine Million Great British Pounds can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money. 50% to me and 40% to you, while 10% shall be for expenses or tax as your government may require. An attorney will be contracted to help re-validate and notarize all the necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us sees this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

More fact from the guardian news

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jan/24/filmmaker-theo-angelopoulos-dies-accident

To enable us discuss further, I want you to email me the following information so I can open up a next of kin file on your behalf here in the bank.

1. Name in full:
2. Address:
3. Nationality:
4. Age/Sex:
5. Occupation:
6. Direct Phone number:

Best regards,
Mr. Matt Hubbard

Anti-fraud resources:

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