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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: "Richard Edward (Esq)." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <richardedwardesq@citromail.hu>
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2023 10:26:33 -0700
Subject: I await your reply.

Attention: Please,
 
THIS IS BASED ON YOU BEARING THE SAME SURNAME WITH MY LATE CLIENT.
 
I am contacting you about an urgent matter that would be very beneficial to your family and mine. My name is Richard Edward (Esq), and I am a personal attorney to my late client, an economist and a retired banker by profession who shares the same surname with you. My late client died of COVID-19 in 25th October, 2020. His Insurance Company contacted me March this year to find his family so that the estate he left behind could be transferred to the family.
 
However, due to the strict COVID-19 lock down policies, it was still somewhat difficult to get in touch with any of his family members until now. My client suffered so much health challenges in NIMES, FRANCE before he died in his mid-80 of age due to deadly Covid-19 Virus that terribly affected the whole world.
 
He was not married as my legal record speaks and there’s no child or family member indicated to stand as his Next of kin. The estate he left behind with the Insurance company is valued at (€10,300,000.40) Ten Million Three Hundred Thousand Euros forty cent only plus a two-bedroom property in VALENCIA, SPAIN. As a matter of fact, this estate would be absorbed by the Insurance Company if no family member does not make a claim by the end of OCT, 2023. According to the Spanish Inheritance law, the insurance company reserves the right to take possession of the estate as abandoned estate if no claim is presented by the diseased family after 5 years of death.
 
Considering the importance of having this estate and fund claimed by the Next of Kin, I personally want to choose you to stand as the Next of Kin to my late Client, hence you bear the same surname and with your cooperation and assistance I shall process this claim swiftly and successfully in your favour as the Next of Kin for immediate release of the estate and fund to you.
 
As an Attorney to my late client, I have all the files and relevant documents/ information needed to claim this inheritance from the insurance company hence all I need is to present a family member which is where you come in as all the legal documents would bear your names as the Next of Kin. If you give me your consent, I shall progress on the processing and application of the estate through appropriate legal means to suit you as the Next of kin to my late client.
 
Please email me your consent as soon as possible to enable me know what to respond to the insurance company on the outcome of finding my late client family member.
 
 
I await your urgent reply.
 
Thanks
 
Richard Edward (Esq).
Email: richardedwardesq@citromail.hu

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