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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: "Michael Wang Lee" <michaelwanglee1a@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: michaelwanglee1a@yahoo.com.sg
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 04:40:44 +0700 (WIT)
Subject: Business Notification




FROM THE DESK OF: MICHAEL WANG LEE
Email: michaelwanglee3@netcitycn.com
Michaelwanglee1c@yahoo.com.sg
Date: 9th,June 2010


I am Michael Wang Lee, Deputy Manager for the China Trust Commercial Bank,
China. I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a deceased
client, and an investment placed under our banks management 9 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 contact you independently and no one is informed of
this communication. In 2000, the subject matter; Alfred Abbott came to our
bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking division.
He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of Eighteen
Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars, which he
wished to have us invest on his behalf.

Based on my advice, we spun the money around various opportunities and
made attractive margins for our first months of operation, the accrued
profit and interest stood at over Two Million. In mid 2002, he instructed
that the principal sum Eighteen Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand
United States Dollars, be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent
investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong.
We got in touch with the Kincheng Banking Corporation which is a
specialist bank in China, and has now been merged with the Bank of China,
with a foreign representative branch in Hong Kong who agreed to receive
this money for a fee and make cash available to Alfred.

However, Bank of China got in touch with us last year that this money has
not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that Alfred was
involved in an accident in Mainland China, which means he died Interstate.
On further investigation we found out that Late Alfred left behind no next
of kin and this is the reason I am writing you.

What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, and I
can make you the beneficiary of these funds. My bank will contact you
informing you that money has been willed to you. On verification,which
will be the details I make available to my bank, my bank will instruct
Bank of China to make payments to you. You do not have to have known him.
I know this might be a bit heavy for you but please trust me on this. For
your assistance I propose that we split the money in half. In the banking
circle this happens every time. The other option is that the money will
revert back to the state.

Nobody is getting hurt; this is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the
KEY to these funds, and as a Chinese National we see so much cash and
funds being re-assigned daily. I would want us to keep communication for
now strictly by email, as time goes on I shall furnish you with my
telephone number, so you can also reach me by phone. My spoken English is
not too good, but you should be able to understand me.

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 the consequences,
because 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 act swiftly on this.
Please if you accept my proposal respond back to me immediately via the
above email.

I await your positive response.

Michael Wang Lee




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