419 scam: Joseph Chou <choujoseph2212@yahoo.pt> I await your response

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "industrial and commercial bank of china" (not involved with lotteries)
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Joseph Chou <choujoseph2212@yahoo.pt>
Reply-To: Joseph Chou <hpesojuohc@yahoo.com.hk>
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2014 10:56:35 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: I await your response

Mr.Joseph Chou
Assistant Vice President/Business Manager
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) USA
235 Grand Avenue, Suite No. 101
South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA

Greetings,
I will be brief in this message for safety reasons though email is also the fastest, surest and good secured mediumÂ of communication (Internet). However, this correspondence is un-official and private, and it should be treated as such. I also guarantee you that this transaction is hitch free from all what you may think of.

I am Mr.Joseph Chou, Assistant Vice President/Business Manager, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, (ICBC) South San Francisco Branch California USA. I am contacting you based on Trust and confidentiality that will be attached to this transaction. The Management and the Legal department of our Bank, (ICBC) in a recent meeting recommended that the account of LATE CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE, who was one of myÂ branch depositors, should be declared Dormant, confiscated and the depositor's fund sent to the Bank Treasury according toÂ American Banking and financial law. He died in October 20, 2014 at the age of 63 years leaving no heir to this account. The bank has made series of efforts to contact any of the relatives to claim this money but without success, you can confirm through this site:

http://http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29699733

OR

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/8069559/Christophe-de-Margerie-a-man-in-Total-control.html

LATE CHRISTOPHE DE MARGERIE own an account in my branch; he owns aÂ dollar account with the sum of US$68.2M (Sixty Eight Million, Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) deposited inÂ a Secret account with my branch. In fact, since his death, no next of kin to the account holder has shown up for the claim, this is because he has the account as a secret account thus he left all the documents for the deposit with me.This is where I am interested and where I want you to come in. I want you to come in as the relation of the deceased; I will give you the relevant documents and contacts to file the application and then effect the approvals for the transfer of the money, I will be the one to provide the vital documents for the claims of the money and then advise you exactly how we should handle it.

Please include your telephones/ Home address when replying this mail and I will give you more information as soon as you indicate your willingness to assist in this transaction. weÂ will use our positions to get all internal documentations to back up the claims. Do not be bothered that you are notÂ related in any way to him as I am in position to affix your name as the next of kin.

The whole Procedures will last only 9Â working days to get the fund retrieved successfully without trace in future. After the transfer of the money we shallÂ share the money 70-30.that is I will have 70% while you will have 30%. Kindly respond promptly so that I can advice you onÂ the next step to follow.

I will be waiting to hear from you.

Yours truly,
Mr.Joseph Chou
Assistant Vice President/Business Manager
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) USA

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam