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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.

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Fraud email example:

From: "Wong Lee" <wong20011@indiatimes.com> (may be fake)
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 08:46:03 -0800
Subject: PARTNERSHIP

I am Mr Wong Lee, Bank Official of Finibanco SarL, Macau Branch,Macau,
China. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.
An Oil consultant/contractor with the Oman Oil Company made a numbered
time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$30,000,000.00
(Thirty Million Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine
notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we
sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers,
ARAMCO that the consultant died from an automobile accident. On further
investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all
attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.
I therefore made further investigation and discovered that the consultant
did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$30,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being
rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will
ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of Republic of China, at the
expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of
the Chinese Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to the deceased consultant so that the fruits of
this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government
officials. This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your
full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary
documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin. We shall
employ the services of an attorney for drafting and notarization of the
WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration
in your favor for the transfer. A bank account in any part of the world
that you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as
the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for
us to share in the ratio of 90% for me and 10% for you.We can recommend a
Swiss bank where that can contact you if we send your email to them as regards
opening an online account with them. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be
done by the attorney and my position as the Bank Official guarantees the
successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please
reply immediately via the private email address above. Upon your response,
I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will
help you understand the transaction. Please send me your confidential
telephone and fax numbers for easy communication.
Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this
transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall
require your assistance to invest my share in your country.
Awaiting your urgent reply via my email address.

Thanks and regards.

Mr Wong Lee






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