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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: "Lee Valiant" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <vleehk@yandex.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:34:19 -0600
Subject: Re: FYI

From: Mr. Lee Valiant
Email: vleehk@yandex.com

Hello

Note: You are the sole recipient so please keep our communication confidential.

I am Mr. Lee Valiant, Head of Compliance at Fubon Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd. As a matter of fact, I am contacting you regarding the estate of Alfred and an

investment placed under our bank's management 5 years ago. 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 2005, the

subject matter, came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of

14.5m, 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 10 million United States Dollars. In mid 2007, he instructed that the principal

sum (14.5M) be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong and China. We have made arrangements with a

specialist bank in china who agreed to receive this money for a fee but did not hear from Alfred.

Our Customer base review last year revealed that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that 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 due to our code of conduct we are not

allowed to show personal interest on funds of this nature. More so, I got your email address through the commerce of trade foreign division and based on the

fact that you have same last name as Alfred.

What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file (I was his accounts officer at the time), you will be made the beneficiary of these funds

(all legalities will be put in place). 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 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 40% to me and 60% to you. In the banking circle this happens every time. If

we do not lay claim, the money will revert to the state of Hong Kong. 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 this my

confidential email address (vleehk@yandex.com). Once again, kindly 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 my private email: vleehk@yandex.com

I await your response.

Thank you in anticipation.
Lee Valiant.

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