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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. Chen Guangyuan" <chenguan@mail.org>
Reply-To: chen_guan3@w.cn
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:21:00 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: *****SPAM***** I am contacting you in reference to an investment opportunity

FROM: MR.CHEN GUANGYUAN
(chen_guan3@w.cn)

Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr. Chen Guangyuan, Foreign
Operations Manager of the Bank of China (Hong kong). I have an obscured
business suggestion for you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Ghazi Musa Hassan who was with the
Iraqi forces and also a businessman made a numbered fixed deposit for 12
calendar months, with a value of Seventeen Million Three Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars only into an account with my branch. Upon maturity
several notice was sent to him, even during the war . Again after the war
another notification was sent and still no response came from him. We
later found out that the Ghazi Musa Hassan and his family had been killed
during the war in bomb blast that hit their home. After further
investigation it was also discovered that Ghazi Musa Hassan 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, Seventeen
Million Three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars (US$17,300,000.00) 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 7years 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 Ghazi Musa Hassan 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 will contact my attorney to prepare the necessary
document that will back you up as the next of kin to Ghazi Musa Hassan,
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 file 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 fund have been transferred to your
nominated bank account we shall share in the ratio of 60% for me, 40% for
you. Should you be interested please send me your fullnames and current
residential address and I will prefer you to reach me on this email
address(chen_guan3@w.cn) which is my private email address and finally
after that i shall provide you with more details of this operation.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Mr. Chen Guangyuan.


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