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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: <wen_tians77@fastmail.cn>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:14:53 +0800
Subject: Re: Notification of Bequest

I am Tian Wen, Business Relations Manager for the China Trust Commercial
Bank in China. I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a
deceased client with similar last name 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. Alfred Torres 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 Dah Sing Bank
(DSB) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cash available
to Mr. Alfred. However Dah Sing Bank got in touch with us last year that
this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that
Mr. 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 of the same Country of residence and 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 DSB 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 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 :wen_tians77@fastmail.cn

I await your response

Regards

Tian Wen

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