419 scam: "Mrs. Meina Zhong" <notification@privatecontact.com> Dear Beloved Friend

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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 phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "hundred thousand great british pounds" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "i got your email address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
This email message is a "dying widow" scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Meina Zhong" <notification@privatecontact.com>
Reply-To: meinazhng@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 09 Dec 2015 05:19:09 +0200
Subject: Dear Beloved Friend

My Dear Beloved Friend,

Greeting to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Let me first of all inform you, I got your email address from a mail Directory and decided to mail you for a permission to go ahead. I am Mrs. Meina Zhong from guangdong province, China , married to Engr. Wei Zhong who worked with an oil company in London before he died in an accident on his way home with our only daughter Li, My Husband and i were married with only one child Li who died in the accident with my husband. Since his death I decided not to re-marry and presently I am 61 Years old. When my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of Â£11.5M. (Eleven Million Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds) with a security company in London along side with some document.

Presently this Box is still with the Security Company and the management just Wrote me as the beneficiary to come forward to receive the box or rather Issue a letter of authority to somebody to receive it on my behalf. I am presently in a hospital where I have been undergoing treatment, Cancer of the lungs here in London. I have since lost my ability to talk and my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live so I think the best thing to do is to use the money for charity purposes. I want a person who is trustworthy that I will make the beneficiary of my late Husbandâ€™s Fund deposited with the security company so that the person can get the money and utilize 80% of this money to fund churches,orphanages and widows around the world.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact details of the Security company and also any information or identification you want from me. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the new beneficiary of this Box. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein and Keep this contact confidential till such a time this funds get to your Custody. This is to ensure that nothing jeopardizes my last wish on Earth. I want you to also know that the security company does not know the content of the box because my late husband registered it as family treasure and artifact.

I await your urgent reply.

Yours Faithfully,

Meina Zhong

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam