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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: "Mr.Patrick L Xiang" <irishbnk@private.co.uk>
Reply-To: patrickxiang.dpt007@live.com
Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:42:20 -0400
Subject: Do Not Ignore, Very Important: From Mr.Patrick‏‏‏‏‏


Office Of Affairs of all banks and financial institutions here in United Kingdom (Leicester Branch).

>From Mr.Patrick L Xiang
Dear Friend,

First I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, this is by virtue of it's nature as being utterly Confidential and top secret.

Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that this is real and genuine.

My name is Mr. Patrick Xiang I work with Allied Irish bank GB ( Liciester branch) here in UK. I also guarantee you that this deal is hitch free from all what you may think of. My office at (Leicester) monitors and controls the affairs of all banks and financial institutions here in United Kingdom concerned with foreign claim payments. My office has the final signatory to any transfer or remittance of huge funds moving within banks both on the local and international levels in line with foreign claim settlement.

I have before me list of funds, which could not be transferred to some nominated accounts as these accounts have been identified either as ghost accounts, unclaimed deposits and over-invoiced sum etc. As it is my duty to recommend the transfer of these surplus funds to the British Government Treasury and Reserve Accounts as unclaimed deposits,I have the opportunity to write you based on the instructions received two days ago from the Foreign Debts Reconciliation Dept to submit the List of payment reports/ expenditures and audited reports of revenues.Among several others, I have decided to present you as the Next of Kin/Will Beneficiary to an overdue inheritance sum of £9.7M belonging to our Late Client an American who unfortunately lost her life and family in a plane crash.

Following my idea that we can have a deal/agreement and I am going to do this legally with your name as the bonafide beneficiary of the amount in question by employing the service of a UK accredited attorney, who will handle all the legal documentations and lay claims through his legal authority on your behalf. Now the deal is 50% of this money will be for you, in respect to the provision of a foreign account and 50% would be for me as I have planned to come to your Country as soon as the transfer is completed.

My Conditions:
1) The sum of £9.7M only will be transferred into your account after the processing of all relevant legal documents with your name as the bonfide beneficiary, the transfer will be made by telegraphic Online Banking Transfer(T/T), conformable in 3-5 working days.

2)This deal must be kept secret forever, and all correspondence will be strictly by email/telephone, for security purposes.

3)There should be no third parties as most problem associated with fund release are caused by your agents or representative. If you Agree with my conditions, I will advise you on what to do immediately and the transfer will commence without delay as I will proceed to fix your name on the Payment schedule instantly to meet the 3-5 working days mandate.

Have a nice day and greetings to you and your family.

Waiting for your reply soon.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr.Patrick L Xiang


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