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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 sung" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <sngliu@aim.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:34:48 +0100
Subject: notice



16th-08-10
I am Mr. Sung, Business Relations Manager for the China Industrial and Commercial Bank of
China Ltd. I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a deceased client with
similar country of origin, and an investment placed under our banks management. 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 2003, the
subject matter, Mr. Roland came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our
private banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of 18.35 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
22.35 million United States Dollars. In mid 2006, he instructed that the principal sum (18.35M)
be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong.
We got in touch with a specialist bank in Hong Kong the Bank of Communications Hong Kong Branch
(BCHK) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cash available to Mr. Roland. However
Bank of Communications Hong Kong got in touch with us last year that this money has not been claimed.
On further enquiries we found out that Mr. Roland 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 of
the same Country of residence.

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 Bank of Communications
Hong Kong Branch to make payments to you.

You do not have to have know 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 strictly by email, due to my not being able to speak English, I use
translator. 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 quickly with the address below

I await your response.

sngliu@aim.com
Regards
liu sung

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