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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: "John Michael" <info@hsbcbank.org>
Reply-To: jonmic822@37.com
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:20:03 +0300 (EAT)
Subject: Email Proposal!!!




Name: John Michael

Email:jonnmic822@37.com


Good day,

Please kindly accept my apology for sending you this email without your
consent. I believe you are a highly respected personality, considering the
fact that I sourced your email from the peoples search database on the web
during my descret search for a foreign partner whom can assist me in
taking this business to it success. Though, I do not know to what extent
you are familiar with events. I have a proposal for you.This however is
not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honour against your
will, but I hope you will read on and consider the value I offer.Please
reply me if you are intrested

I know this is an unconventional way of introducing a big and
profitablebusiness deal, but I however want you to take your time to read
my lettercarefully, you will understand the necessity for my action. I am
John Michael, staff of International Private Banking at HSBC Bank. Iam
contacting you concerning a deceased customer and an investment he placed
under our banks management three years ago. 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
informedof this communication. I would like to intimate you with certain
facts that I believe would be of interest to you. In 2001, the subject
mattercame to our bank to engage in business discussions with our
privatebanking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio
ofForty Eight Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United
StatesDollars ($48,350,000.00 USD), which he wished to have us turn
over(invest) on his behalf. I was the officer assigned to his case; I was
madenumerous suggestions in line with my duties as the de-facto chief
operations officer of the private banking sector, especially given the
volume of funds he wished to put into our bank. We met on numerous
occasions prior to any investments being placed. I encouraged him to
consider various growth funds with prime ratings. The favored route in
myadvice to customers is to start by assessing data on 6000 traditional
stocks and bond managers and 2000 managers of alternative
investments.Based on my advice, we spun the money around various
opportunities and made attractive margins for our first months of
operation, th

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