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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: Chen Zu Zhan <z_chenzu@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: chenzu_z@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:53:56 +0300
Subject: Your financial improvement

Dear Proposed Partner,

This is my second email to you, please reply. I am Chen Zu Zhan a personal banker for the Nanyang Commercial Bank in China. I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a deceased client 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, (name withheld for now) came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of 10.5million 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 15 million United States Dollars. In mid 2005, he instructed that the principal sum (10.5M) be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Spain. We got in touch with a specialist bank in Spain Bankinter S.A (Finance & Security Service) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cash available to our client. However Bankinter S.A (Finance & Security Service) got in touch with us last year that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that our client was involved in an accident in Mainland China, which means he died intestate. He has 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, you will be made the beneficiary of these funds. Bankinter S.A (Finance & Security Service) will contact you informing you that money has been willed to you. On verification, which will be the details I make available to Nanyang Commercial bank. Bankinter S.A (Finance & Security Service) will be instructed to make payments to you after all the necessary verification and application is done. You do not have to have known our client. 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 email.

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 get back to me immediately via the email above. chenzu_zhan@yahoo.com.hk


I await your response.


Chen Zu Zhan

chen_zuzhan@yahoo.com.hk


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