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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: Cheng Xio <cheng_xio.@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: cheng_xio@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 11:03:11 +0200
Subject: Hello !!

Hello !!

My name is Cheng XIO a merchant in Hong Kong, I am getting in touch with you
regarding my Estate. I decided to get in touch with you after finding
out you a
good person, I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. It has defiled all
forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to
live, according to medical experts.

I would respectfully request that you keep the content of this mail
confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a
result of this mail I contact you independently and no one is informed of this
communication, I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I
never really
cared for anyone (not even myself)but my business. Though I am very
rich, I was
never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business
as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I
now know
that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in
the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I
would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that God has
called me, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my
immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends.

I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul, I have decided to
give also
to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do
on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations here
in Hong Kong, china, Algeria and Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines. Now that my
health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore and the
people i trust betrayed the trust even in my eyes. I once asked members of my
family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there
to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan, they refused and kept the
money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem
not to be
contended with what I have left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows is 8,000,000,00(Eight Million pounds)
that I have with a bank firm abroad. I want you to Act as my Beneficiary who
will help me contact the bank on my behalf to discuss the terms and condition
of getting this funds out from their custody and also helping me to
dispatch it
to the charity organisations.What i propose is that i have exclusive access to
my file, you will be made the beneficiary of these funds, my bank will contact
you informing you that money has been willed to you. on verification, which
will be the details i make available to my attorney i will instruct my bank to
make payment to you ?I know this might be a bit heavy for you please trust me
on this. for all your troubles i propose that you split the money in half I
sent you this mail not without a measure of fear as to the consequence, but i
know with in me that nothing ventured is nothing gained we should act swiftly
on this before i finally give up. Please pardon my poor English Please get
back to me immediately via my personal email address (
cheng_xio@yahoo.com.hk )
or my direct cell phone number. 011 852 5808 0109

God be with you
Cheng XIO



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