True or not true?

[Stumpnin]

I recieved emails asking me to be the 'next-of-kin', apparently someone had passed away, leaving alot of money. And they can't seem to locate any of their hiers/next-of-kin. All they require of me is I just give them my name and that I don't have to give them money but that they get a certain percentage, for example 21 million dollars total but they get 70% to me, and 25% to me, leaving a certain percentage to pick up all the expenses after it is all said and done with. I was told if its too good to be true, that its more likely not true. Some of them seem so true though and I can't but wonder if this is another way of a crime. What is your take on this?

[John Fairheart]

Stumpnin: Welcome to Fraudwatchers.

Unfortunately, standing in as the 'next-of-kin' to someone that you are not related to, is illegal. If the proposal were real, you could actually end up in jail for committing a very serious offence.

Fortunately, the proposal you have received is completely and utterly false. The next of kin scam is one of the main types of '419 Scam' (Advance Fee Fraud) which arrives in millions of inboxes, every single day.

You can look at a typical example here:-
http://www.fraudwatchers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=642#nextok

There is always a request for money. No matter what the scammer states to start with, they will always ask for your money.

Do not beleive them.

If you still have the original proposal email, please copy & paste the text (and header if you can) into this thread, and we can analyse it for you.

Thank you for posting

[Stumpnin]

Thanks for the reply. Here is one of emails that someone contacted me recently. Why do people do this to other people? Don't they that its a crime?

Very Urgent Attention,

Please permit me to introduce my humble self to you, I'm Mr. John Johnson, I am the Manager of International Relation with Access Bank of Nigeria Limited, I'm 38yrs old, I got your email address on the Internet, and my confidence reposed on you. I hope you read this message carefully and reply me immediately. Although we have not met before, but I suggest that this transaction will bring us together.My dear, we have a customer, a foreigner but based here in Nigeria, his Name is Mr. Hamilton Creek.

He is from Atlanta Georgia United State of America, but based here with his wife and his two children, Mr. Hamilton has being banking with our bank for the past 4yrs, some time August 2002, Mr. Hamilton was on his way to his house, and unfortunately, Mr. Hamilton ran into a Trailer load of Groundnut Oil, and died immediately, their car got burnt, no single soul was saved, Mr. Hamilton Creek and his entire family was confirmed dead.
My Board of Directors and Board of Management of Access Bank has mandated and instructed me to look for Mr. Hamilton Creek relation/relatives and his next of Kin to come and claim Mr. Hamilton's Fund, Since August 2003 till date, I have been looking for Mr. Hamilton Creek relation's and relatives/Next of Kin to come and claim Mr. Hamilton's Fund which he deposited with our bank, I have contacted his Embassy and after 3days,his Ambassador told me that Mr. Hamilton Creek has no relation and no next of kin, their Ambassador told me that Mr. Hamilton used his first son as his next of kin, but it is quite unfortunate that Mr. Hamilton Creek died with all his family members.The reason why I contacted you is thus, Mr. Hamilton is dead, and his only son whom supposed to inherit his properties and money also died with him. As at this moment, nobody or person[s] is coming to claim this money from our bank.
The board directors and management of our bank has Told me that if nobody or person[s] apply for the claim of Mr. Hamilton Fund, the bank will return Mr. Hamilton's Fund into our Federal Reserve.In the Light of the above, I want you to stand as the Relation/relative of Late Mr. Hamilton Creek, I want you to act as the Hamilton's relation, so that you will inherit Mr. Hamilton Creek Money which he deposited with our bank, it might interest you to know that Mr. Hamilton has a Domiciliary Bank Account with our Bank and he has a total sum of US$9.2M Nine Million Two Hundred Dollars, this is the exact amount which late Mr. Hamilton Creek has in his domiciliary Account, and this money is still in his account as unclaimed money.This transaction is very easy and simple, and it is 100% risk free, I'm the Manager for International Relations with Access Bank of Nigeria Limited, and the Management and Board Directors of the Bank are waiting for me to provide to them the Relation or next of Kin to late Mr.Hamilton Creek, of which I told them that I am still searching the next of kin to the deceased.
Finally, if you are interested with this transaction, I will front you to the bank as the only next of kin to late Mr. Hamilton Creek, and I will let the bank know that you are the only right person to inherit late Mr. Hamilton Funds and properties. If you agree with me, I will present you to my bank as the rightful person/next of kin to Late Mr. Hamilton Creek, and all Mr. Hamilton Creek's Properties and his Money US$9.2M Nine Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars will be Transferred into your own Account as Mr. Hamilton Creek next of kin., if you are interested, just email me or call me on my direct, private and secured #: +234-4771102 if you are interested, late Mr. Hamilton Funds will be Credited into your Account and all his Properties will be Released to you either through Courier Services or the Bank will Cargo all his properties to you in any were you want it.
So reply me immediately and let me know what you say, feel free to ask any questions. We will share Late Mr.Hamilton Creek Funds 50/50; you will take 50% of the US$9.2M. Which is US$4.600,000.00 Four Million Six Hundred Thousand Dollars, while the Balance of the same amount will be mine. I will be waiting for your immediate response,
Thanks and have a nice day.
Friendly Regards
Mr. John Johnson

[John Fairheart]

Thanks.

Yes they know it is crime, that's the whole point. It is their intention to defraud you, it does not happen by accident.

The letter is a very standard scam format.

Mr. John Johnson, I am the Manager of International Relation with Access Bank of Nigeria Limited

Having located the real Access Bank of Nigeria Ltd, there is a very good page on the site warning about scams. It is certainly worth a read as it says pretty much everything you need to know about the scams being purpetrated using the name of the Bank:-
http://www.accessbankplc.com/index.cfm?ID=6100

+234-4771102
Nigerian landline telephone, Lafia, Nigeria - Possibly a redirection service.