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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: "VALIANT LEE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <valiantlee@yandex.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2016 17:24:50 -0500
Subject: PLEASE RESPOND

From: Mr. Lee Valiant
Email: valiant.lee@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 14.5 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 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
(valiant.lee@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: valiant.lee@yandex.com

I await your response.

Thank you in anticipation.
Lee Valiant.

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