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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.

 

 

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Simon Wong" <sim_wong01@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2005 00:39:23 +0000
Subject: I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE!!!


 

 

 

 

 


FROM THE DESK OF:
MR.Simon Wong
HANG SENG BANK LTD.
DES VOEUX RD.BRANCH
CENTRAL HONG KONG
HONG KONG.

Dear Friend,

I am Mr.Simon Wong, credit officer of Hang
Seng Bank Ltd, Hong Kong. I  have an urgent
and  very confidential business proposition
for you.

On october 6, 2001, an American consultant/contractor
with  the Chinese Solid  Minerals Corporation,
Mr. Smith Lawrence made a (Fixed) Deposit for
twelve calendar months, valued at US$68,000,000.00
(six-eight Million  Dollars only) 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  Hong Kong Solid
Minerals Corporation that Mr. Smith Lawrence 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  Mr. Smith Lawrence did not declare any kin or
relations in all his  official documents, including
his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of
US$68,000,000.00 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 the Hong Kong Law,under china's
foreign and defense affairs,at the expiration
of 5 (five) years,such funds will revert to the
ownership of the chinese Government for financing
military operations,such as purchasing of arms
and ammunitions for the military.

 In order to avert this negative development,i will
like to seek for your permission as a foreigner to
stand as the next of kin to Mr. Smith Lawrence so
that the fruits of this old man's labor will not
be use for financing weapons which will further
enhance the courses of war in the world in
general.

The money will be paid into your account for us to
share in the ratio of 60% for me and 30% for you
and 10% 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 my
attorney and with my position as the credit
officer guarantees the successful execution
of this transaction. If you are interested,
please reply immediately.
Upon your response, I shall then provide
you with more  details and that will help
you understand the transaction.

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.

Mr.Simon Wong.


 

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