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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: "simon wong" <wongsim2@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 05:56:48 -0500
Subject: Partnership Proposal

MR.SIMON WONG
DAH SING BANK LTD.
DES VOEUX RD. BRANCH,
CENTRAL HONG KONG,
HONK KONG.
Private Email:swong@hong-kong-1.com

Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr.Simon Wong credit officer
of Dah Sing Bank Ltd.I have a beneficial business suggestion for you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Mr. Hatem Kamil Abdul Tatah
who was a contractor to the Iraqi forces and also business man and
deputy governor of Baghdad, made a numbered fixed deposit for 18
calendar months, with a value of Twenty-four Million,Five hundred
thousand United States Dollars only in my branch [US$24,500,000.00].

Upon maturity several notices were sent to him, even during the war.
Again after further much notification to his business address and
still no response came from him. We later found out that Mr Hatem
Kamil Abdul Fatah was killed in a drive-by shooting, and his entire
family died in a bomb blast that hit their home
respectively(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3970619.stm)
After further investigation it was also discovered that Mr. Hatem
Kamil Abdul Tatah 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, Twenty-four Million,Five
hundred thousand United States Dollars 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 three years 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 stand as the next of kin to Mr.Hatem Kamil Abdul
Tatah so that you will be able to receive his funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we
shall come out successful. I have contacted an attorney that will
prepare the necessary document that will back you up as the next of
kin to Mr.Hatem Kamil Abdul Tatah,all that is required from you at
this stage is for you to provide me with your Full Names and Address
so that the attorney can commence his job.

After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also fill
in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and
letter of probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an
account that will be provided by you.

There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going to
adopt a legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the
necessary documents.

Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters
concerning this issue.Once the funds have been transferred to your
nominated bank account we shall share in the ratio of 70% for me and
30% for you.

Should you be interested please send me your private phone and fax
numbers for easy communication, you can write me via my private box:
swong@hong-kong-1.com, and I will provide you with more details
of this operation.Your earliest response to this letter will be
appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Simon Wong
Dah Sing Bank Ltd.
Hong Kong


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