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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Zhao Shadong" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <zhao@yccaifuu.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2016 12:05:46 -0700
Subject: IMMIDIATE AND CONFIDENTIAL ACTION REQUESTED

Email: zhao@yccaifuu.com

Dearest Confidant

I am Zhao Shaodong, Managing Director of Shanghai Yancheng Asset Management Co. Ltd in China. I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a deceased client who had an investment placed under my portfolio as an asset management consultant.

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 2009, the subject matter; The Deceased came to my firm to engage in business discussions and private investment and subsequently his portfolio was handled by me. He informed me that he had a financial portfolio of $45.5 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 this point at 70% (Seventy Percent) of the principal sum. In mid-2012, he instructed that the principal sum ($48.5M) be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong. We got in touch with DBS Bank which had a specialist branch in China, with a foreign representative branch in Hong Kong who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cash available to him. However DBS Bank got in touch with me recently that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that the Deceased was involved in an accident in Mainland China,in same 2012 which means he died intestate. On further investigation we found out that the deceased had no next of kin and this is the reason I am writing you.

DBS Bank has insisted that since I was the Asset manager to the client’s portfolio I should find the nearest relative to my client or his next of kin.

Now what I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, and I can make you the beneficiary of these funds. DBS Bank will contact you informing you that money has been willed to you. On verification, which will be the details I make available to DBS Bank, they will be instructed 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 your assistance 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 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 the numerous portfolios that I have handled for my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this. Please if you accept my proposal respond back to me immediately via the email zhao@yccaifuu.com reconfirming

1,Your full names
2,Address and phone numbers

I await your positive response.
Zhao Shadong

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