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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: "eric leelee" <eric@leelee2.com>
Reply-To: eric_lee@safe-mail.net
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 11:52:30 +0000
Subject: PLEASE RESPONSE NEEDED


FROM:Mr. Eric Lee.
Hang Seng Bank Ltd
Sai Wan Ho Branch
171 Shaukiwan Road
Hong Kong.

Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr.Eric Lee an Executive Director
in the Hang Seng Bank Ltd,Sai Wan Ho Branch.I have a mutual beneficial
business suggestion for you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war, our client Major Fadi Basem who was with the
Iraqi forces and also a business man made a numbered fixed deposit for 18
calendar months, with a value of Eighteen Five million,Five Hundred
Thousand United State Dollars(US$18.5M) only in my branch.Upon maturity
several notice was sent to him, even during the war two years
ago(2003).Again after the war another notification was sent and still no
response came from him. We later found out that
the Major and his family had been killed during the war in bomb blast that
hit their home.

After further investigation it was also discovered that Major Fadi Basem did
not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work
of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at my
office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank.So, the Eighteen
Five million,Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars(US$18.5M) is still
lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.What bothers
me most is that according to the laws
of my country at the expiration four years six months the funds will revert
to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the
funds.

Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as a
foreigner to front for me and stand as the next of kin to Major Fadi Basem
so that you will be able to receive his funds.

Please,if you are capable of standing as the next of Kin to Major Fadi
Basem,you should indicate so that I will give you more information.Absolute
confidentiality is required from you.Besides,I will use my connection to get
some documents to back up the fund so that the fund can not be question by
any authourity.

I will give you further details of the transaction when I recieve a positive
response from you and also the a ration whch the money will be shared
between both of us.

Treat as very urgent.

Yours Faithfully,

Mr. Eric Lee


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