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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: "Jing Wu" <jing_wu@bankofchinashenzhen.com>
Reply-To: jing_wu101@yahoo.com.cn
Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 15:46:11 +0000
Subject: FROM JING WU

EMAIL: jing_wu101@yahoo.com.cn

Dear Friend,

I am Jing Wu , Bank Manager of Bank in China, Shenzhen branch. I have
urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.

On November 6, 1999, a British Oil consultant/contractor with the
Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation, 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, the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation that he
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 he 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 6 (six) 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 man 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
tarization of the WILL and to ob tain 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 80% for me and 20% for you.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction
will be done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager
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: jing_wu101@yahoo.com.cn

Thanks and regards.

Jing Wu.


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