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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: "eric wong" <wongeric200@msn.com>
Reply-To: wongeric01@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2005 16:35:11 +0000
Subject: URGENT

Mr.Eric Wong.
Union Bank Of China,
99 Queens Road Central
Hong Kong,
Dear Friend,
     I write you in good faith, hoping that you will treat this letter as a
desperate search for assistance in a matter that shall benefit both of
us.
     A random search based on your locality from the Internet produced your
address, Please i apologise for this medium of contact as it appears
the only definate way i can have assistance with this matter.
I am Mr Eric Wong, Head of Private Banking, Union Bank Of China,also
account Manager to a deceased Immigrant property magnate who was based
in the U.K. and had vast business interest in Hong Kong ,also referred to as my client.
On Monday, 31 July, 2000, 13:22 GMT 14:22 UK , my client, his wife and
their two Children died in the Air France concord plane crash bound for
New York in their plan for a world cruise
    I have been managing his  Bank accounts here in the Hong Kong, and some
Properties which he had put out for sale. The properties which have
long been put out on sale have been paid for, and the money paid has
long been deposited into his local bank account here. I have contacted you
to assist in repatriating the money and estate left behind by my client
before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by my Bank.
Particularly, the bank has issued me with a notice to provide any of
his next of kin or have the account confiscated within a short period of
time.My late client has an account is valued at 18 Million United
States Dollars Only
    I therefore made further investigation,with the personel department and
discovered that did not declare any kin or relations in all his
official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$18million 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 Hong
Kong, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the
ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the
fund.
    I now seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to my
deceased client, so that the proceeds of his account valued at 18
Million United States Dollars Only can be paid to you, 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. The money will be paid to you for us to share in the ratio of 60% for
me and 35% for you and 5%, after completion,for Expenses Incurred in
the course of the transaction .There is no risk at all as all the paperwork
for this transaction will be done by the attorney and with my position
as the Head Private Banking guarantees the successful execution of this
transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately to my
email: ericwong03@yahoo.com.hk
     All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Trust me
as his Manager of his Estates, as i have all the needed information, that this
is a risk-free relationship.You should 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.
    Thanks and regards.
     Eric Wong.
 
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