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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: Mr Graham Baldock <grahambal96@netscape.net>
Reply-To: graham_bal96@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 13 May 2006 13:40:25 +0200
Subject: THANKS FOR YOUR KINDESS.


BANK OF AMERICA (ASIA)LTD.
17/F DEVCON HOUSE
979 KING'S ROAD
HONG KONG.
graham_bal96@yahoo.com.hk
Dear Friend,
I am Mr.Graham R. Baldock, credit officer of Bank of
America (Asia) Ltd, Hong Kong. I am an Australian by
nationality working with the Bank of America Asian
Branch.
I have an urgent and very confidential business
proposition for you.
On october 6, 2001, an American Engineer/Consultant
with the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation,
Mr. Mathew Paxton made a (Fixed) Deposit for twelve
calendar months, valued at US$40,500,000.00 (Forty
Million Five Hundred thousand United State 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. Mathew Paxton died from a
recurrent heart disease.
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. Mathew Paxton did not declare any next of
kin or relations in all his official documents,
including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$40,500,000.00 is still lingering 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. Mathew Paxton 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 project will be done by my
attorney and with my position as the credit officer
guarantees the successful execution of this project.
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 project would be most profitable
for both parties because I shall require your
assistance to invest my share in your country.
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards.
Mr.Graham R. Baldock

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