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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: mrshingli777777@mchsi.com (mrshingli_8000@yahoo.com.hk)
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:23:36 +0000
Subject: DEAR RECIPIENT...

Dear Recipient,
How are you today and business in your country? I am Shing Li, Bank
Manager of bank of Overseas,Taiwan. I would respectfully request
that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect
the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this
mail.
I contacted you independently of our investigation and no one is
informed of this communication. A British Oil consultant/contractor
with the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation, Mr.Courtney Steven
made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit of $30,000,000.00 for twelve
calendar months and not too long Mr. Courtney Steven died from an
airplane crash. The bank immediately launched an investigation into
possible surviving next of kin to alert about the situation and also
to claim his estate. If you are familiar with private banking affairs,
those who patronize our services usually prefer anonymity, but also
some levels of detachment from conventional processes. In his
bio-data form, he listed no next of kin.

What I wish to relate to you will smack of unethical practice but I
want you to understand something. It is only an outsider to the
banking world who finds the internal politics of the banking world
aberrational. The world of banking especially is fraught with huge
rewards for those who occupy certain offices and oversee certain
portfolios,I alone have the deposit details and they will release the
deposit to no one unless evidence of relationship with the deceased,
which I shall provide you with, is presented. I alone know of the
existence of this deposit as far as Bank of Overseas is concerned,
the bank's management has no single idea of what? the history or
nature of the deposit. They are simply awaiting instructions to
release the deposit to any party that comes forward.

I am aware of the consequences of this proposal. If my offer is
of no appeal to you, delete this message and forget I ever contacted
you. If you give me positive signals, I will initiate this process
towards a conclusion.
I wish to inform you that should you contact me via official channels;
I will deny knowing you and about this project. I repeat, I do not
want you contacting me through my official phone lines nor do I want
you contacting me through my official email account.
I will always call you and please contact me only through this email
below. My official lines are not secure lines as they are
periodically monitored to assess our level of customer care in line
with our Total Quality Management Policy. Please observe this
instruction religiously. Please, again, note I am a family man,
I have a wife and children. I send you this mail not without a measure
of fear as to what the consequences may be, but I know within me that
nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never
come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned

from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence.
If we can be of one accord, we should plan a meeting, soon. In closing,

please observe utmost confidentiality, and be 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. Upon
receiving your reply, I will then furnish you with a more comprehensive

detail of this transaction and what is required of you.
Please reply to my private Email: mrshingli_8000@yahoo.com.hk
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Yours Sincerely,
Mr. SHING LI.

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