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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. Karl Su" <karsu2009@gmail.com>
Reply-To: smr.karl@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:05:09 +1000
Subject: With Due Respect



From The Desk of Karl Su.


I am Karl Su Principal Assurance manager for the Huxia Bank in China. I am
getting in touch with you regarding the estate of Alfred and an investment
placed under our banks management 7 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 came to our bank to
engage in
business discussions with our private banking division. He informed us that he
had a financial portfolio of 8.35 million 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 this point at over 10 million United States Dollars. In
mid-2002, he instructed that the principal sum (8.35M) be liquidated
because he
needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong and
China. We got in touch with a specialist bank in China, the Guangdong
Development Bank (GDB) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and
make cash
available to Alfred. However Guangdong Development Bank 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 intestate. He has no next of kin and the reason I am writing you
is because
you are namesakes.


What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you will be
made 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 GDB 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 all your troubles 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 the
above telephone and fax numbers.

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, but 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 pardon my writing mistakes.
Please get back to me immediately via the telephone, fax number or
email address
above.


I await your response.


Karl Su.




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