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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: "ED YAU" <yau.eddy23@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 12:48:22 -0800
Subject: INTRODUCTION LETTER :Mr EDWARD YAU


INTRODUCTION LETTER :Mr EDWARD YAU
SHANGHAI COMMERCIAL BANK LIMITED
PLEASE REPLY ON TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS:mreyau@indiatimes.com


I would not have used this medium (Internet) I choose to reach you through
it because it is the fastest,surest and most secured medium of communication
.However,this correspondence
is unofficial and private,and it should be treated as such. I also guarantee
you that this transaction is hitch free from all what you may think of.
I am Mr EDWARD YAU of SHANGHAI COMMERCIAL BANK LIMITED I am contacting you
based on Trust and confidentiality that will be attached to this
transaction. The Management and the Legal department of our BANK (SHANGHAI
COMMERCIAL BANK) in a
recent meeting, Recommended that the account of JOHN CLINTON HARZT, who
was one of my branch depositor, should be declared dormant,confisticated
and the depositor's fund sent to the Bank Treasury according to UK Banking
and financial law. he died in world
trade centre as a victims of the september 11,2001.Incident that befall
the united state of america,the bank has made series of efforts to contact
any of the relatives to claim This money
but without sucess, you can confirm through this site:

http://www.september11victims.com/september11Victims/victims_l
ist.htm
OR
http://www.september11victims.com/september11Victims/VictimInf
o.asp?ID=1312

Mr JOHN CLINTON HARZT is an account holder in my branch, he owns a dollar
account with the sum of US$58.2M (Fifty Eight Million, two Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars Only)
deposited in a Secret account with with my branch .In fact, since his
death, no next of kin of the Dollar account holder(the brother) nor any
relative of him has shown up for
the claim this because he has the account as a secret account thus he left
all the documents for the deposit with me.
This is where I am interested and where I want you to come in. I want
you to come in as the relation of the deceased,I will give you the
relevant documents and contacts to file the application and then effect the
approvals for the transfer of the money, I will be the one to provide the
vital documents for the claims of the money and then advise you exactly
how we should handle it.Please include your telephone/fax number/ Home
Address when replying this mail and I will give you more information as
soon as you indicate your willingness to assist in this transaction.
We will use our positions to get all internal documentations to back up
the claims.Do not be bothered that you are not related in any way to him as
I am in position to afix your name as the next of kin.
The whole Procedures will last only 7 working days to get the
fund retrieved successfully Without trace even in future.
After the transfer of the money we shall share the money

60-40.that is I will have 60% while you will have 40%

Yours truly,
Mr. EDWARD YAU
SHANGHAI COMMERCIAL BANK LIMITED
PLEASE REPLY ON TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS:mreyau@indiatimes.com

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