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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: =?UTF-8?Q?Eduardo_Franc=C3=A9s_de_Velasco?= <support@fotostudiospijkenisse.nl>
Reply-To: eduardofdve.esq@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:23:53 +0000
Subject: UNCLAIMED FUNDS

Hello,
 I am Lawyer Eduardo Francés de Velasco, I got your contact information from the  USA  public record while searching for a last name similar to my late client's, a business magnate by the name Mr. Alan, who lived in Spain for over a decade prior to his death. He died along with his family during the Sichuan Catastrophe, which occurred 12th day of May 2008 during their short holiday visits to Shanghai China.

Prior to further explanation, please accept my apology for this unsolicited mail. I am conscious that this is certainly not a predictable way of approach to fostering a relationship of trust, but because of the circumstances and urgency surrounding this claim, before the catastrophe; He deposited One Trunk Box/Diplomatic Personal Treasure, containing the sum of $11.2 (ELEVEN MILLION,TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS) with a Safe Security Company here in Spain, because of security and personal reasons he did not disclose the exact content of the vault/deposited diplomatic box to the SAFE KEEPING HOUSE.  

As the attorney to the late Alan, the security company has mandated me to present a member of his family (heir/inheritor) to make Claims, or the vault will be confiscated and taken to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security Box as unclaimed property, After exhaustive efforts and searching for a direct family member to my late client which came to no avail, I was given the last option early this year to present a next of kin for the claim or have the fund liquidated and made unserviceable in accordance with existing laws.
 
Against these conditions, my suggestion is that, I will like you to stand as the next of kin, I know you may deem this fund not necessary as you may have a lot to eat for the rest of your life, but bear in mind we can still use this to help the homeless, the less privileged and other people suffering in this bad economic world we are in today. I know you may not be in any way related to my late client, but having a common surname with him and the modality I have put in place, I can guarantee that if you follow my instructions the vault will be released to you.

Mind you that there is no atom of risk connected to this business as I have worked out all modalities to complete the operation effectively. Once the consignment (vault) is released to you, we shall divide the content in the ratio of 50% for each, as our benefit and this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law, Please be kind to get back to me through my email, fax as provided in this letter or you can call me if you shall be willing to collaborate so that we can start with the process of the claim as soon as possible, please mind you that we don't need to make undue publicity as this can hamper the process taking into cognizance that we are not quite sure if you're really related. Discretion must be maintained.

I wait for your quick response and if this business proposition offends your moral values do accept my sincere apology; otherwise please contact me at once to indicate your interest in us to proceeding with the claim process.


Kind Regards, 
Eduardo

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