419 scam: "Bank of China (Hong Kong)." <chenguan@kkwl.ac.th> Greetings to you and your family.

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- chenguanoffice@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Bank of China (Hong Kong)." <chenguan@kkwl.ac.th> (may be fake)
Reply-To: chenguan8u8@8u8.com
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:05:25 +0600 (BTT)
Subject: Greetings to you and your family.

Dear Friend,

Greetings to you and your family.

Let me start by introducing myself, I am Mr. Chen Guan, financial
director, Bank of China.

Our Client, Gen Zaiki Taha Abdel, a businessman and also who was with the
Iraqi forces, made a fixed deposit, of ( $17,300,000.00) Seventeen Million
Three Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only in my branch, a number of
notices was sent to him, before the war which began in 2003 and also after
the war but, no response came from him. We later found out that the
General along with his wife and only daughter had been killed during the
war in a bomb blast that hit their home.

After more inquiry it was also discovered that the late Gen. did not
declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of
his bank deposit. What bothers me most is according to the laws of my
country at the expiration of 6 years the funds will be revert to the
ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody comes for the funds,
Against this scenery, I have all the information needed to claim these
funds and I want you to act as the beneficiary of the deposit, there is no
risk involved in this matter, as we are going to adopt a legitimate method
and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents.

All I require is your honest co-operation and I guarantee that this will
be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any
breach of the law. Please accept my apologies and keep my confidence.

Considering the money involved, and due to the nature of this transaction,
it is necessary for you to be sure of whom you are transacting with. I
want to be sure that you are ready, to execute this transaction with me,
What I expect from you is trust and commitment, I want this large sum of
money transferred with your assistance and you should have nothing to
worry about regarding legality AT ALL, because what affects you Shall
also affects me too, considering the paper work we are about to sign
together but, I will appreciate you to follow my directives amicably as
everything shall be done in accordance passing through all international
banking laws, and as a banker I know that if we follow up this transaction
diligently it would be completed within 9 working days.

Please get back to me only if you are interested so that my attorney can
start the paper works and re profile the documents to your names.

You can reach me on my private email address chenguanoffice@yahoo.com.hk
for more details.

Thanks may God Bless you and your family.

Regards,
Brother Chen Guan.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam