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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: "Liu Yan" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <liuyann2006@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 2010 13:25:48 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend

FROM: Mr.Liu Yan
Bank of China Ltd.
13/F. Bank of China Tower1 Garden Road
Hong Kong,

I sincerely ask for forgiveness for I know this may seem like a complete intrusion to your privacy but right about now this is my option of
communication. This mail might come to you as a surprise and the temptation to ignore it as unserious could come into your mind; but please
consider it a divine wish and accept it with a deep sense of humility. I am Mr. Liu Yan a transfer supervisor operations in investment section in
Bank of China Ltd. Secretariat of the BOCHK Charitable Foundation 13/F. Bank of China Tower 1 Garden Road Hong Kong I have a obscured business
suggestion for you.

On June 5, 2002, a British Oil consultant/contractor with the South Korea Solid Minerals Corporation, General Mohammed Jassim Ali made a numbered
time (Fixed) Deposit for Eighteen calendar months, valued at (Nineteen Million Five Hundred Thousand American 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, that General Mohammed Jassim Ali died from an auto-mobile 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
General Mohammed Jassim Ali did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of Nineteen Million Five Hundred Thousand American Dollars only 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.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to General Mohammed
Jassim Ali so that the fruits of this old man's labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials.
This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents and
affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin. We shall employ the services of an attorney for drafting and notarization of the WILL and
to obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favour for the transfer. A bank account in any part of the world
that you will provide will, then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin.

The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the attorney and
with my position as the credit officer guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.
If you are interested, please reply immediately to my private email box, {liuyann2006@gmail.com}
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details that will help you understand the transaction. Please send me your
confidential telephone and fax numbers for easy communication. You should 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.

Regards,

Liu Yan


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