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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: "Long A" <info@fcmb.com>
Reply-To: atmclaimagents@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2011 20:54:28 +0530
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT VIA MASTER ATM DEBIT CARD




Dear friend,

I am Mr.Adrian Collins, working with Chase Manhattan Bank, United Kingdom.
I am contacting you with regards the estate of Mr Jonathan Chen who
resident in United Kingdom and an investment placed in our bank 5 years
ago.
It is important 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; Jonathan Chen came to our
bank, Chase Manhattan Bank, United Kingdom 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 invested 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 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 Winglung Bank who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make
cash available to Mr Jonathan Chen. However Winglung Bank got in touch
with us this year that this money has not been claimed. On further
inquiries we found out that Mr Jonathan Chen was involved in an accident
in Mainland China , which means he died intestate. He has no next of kin.
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 Winglung Bank
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 fund, we see so much cash and funds being re-assigned daily.
I would want us to keep communication for now strictly by the above
contact details. 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 clients. Do not betray my
confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this.
Please get back to me immediately via email. colins_adrian@yahoo.co.uk
I await your response.
Regard,

Mr. Adrian Collins.


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