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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Cheung Pui" <pui012@msn.com>
Reply-To: puicheung32@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 02 Oct 2005 10:41:15 +0000
Subject: REPLY ME

FROM: MR CHEUNG PUI

(puicheung_52@yahoo.com.hk)

Dear Friend,

Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr. Cheung Pui director of
operations of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd,Hong kong.

I have an obscured business suggestion for you.Before the U.S and Iraqi war,
our client Major Fadi Basem who was with the Iraqi forces and also business
man made a numbered,fixed deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of
Twenty million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only in my branch.

Upon maturity several notice was sent to him,even during the war early last
year.Again after the waranother notification was sent and still no response
came from him.

We later find out that the Major and his family had been killed during the
war in bomb blast that hit their home.After further investigation it wasalso
discovered that Major Fadi Basem did not declare any next of kin in his
official papers including the paper workof his bank deposit. And he also
confided in me the last time he was at my office that no one except me knew
of his deposit in my bank.So,Twenty million Five Hundred Thousand United
State Dollars is still lyingin my bank and no one will ever come forward to
claim it.

What bothers me most is that according to the laws of my country, at the
expiration 4 years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong
Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. Against this backdrop,my
suggestion to you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the
next of kin to Major Fadi Basem so that you will be able to receive his
funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we
shall come out successful. I have contacted an attorney that will prepare
the necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to Major
Fadi Basem , all that is required from you at this stage is for you to
provide me with your Full Names and Address so that the attorney can
commence his job.

After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also fill in for
claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of
probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account that will be
provided by you.

There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going to adopt a
legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents.

Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this
issue.Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account we
shall share in the ratio of 70% for me, 30% for you .

Should you be interested please send me your full names and current
residential address and I will prefer you to reach me on the email address
below, Email:

(puicheung_52@yahoo.com.hk)


Finally, after that i shall provide you with more details of this operation.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Mr. Cheung Pui


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