419 scam: Zhang Li <zhangli2032@gmail.com> I am Zhang Li.

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "dormant account" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- liz168718@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Zhang Li <zhangli2032@gmail.com>
Reply-To: liz168718@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 2 Mar 2019 04:43:38 +0800
Subject: I am Zhang Li.

Greetings,

I am Zhang Li. For a start let me introduce myself. I am a Chinese
Malaysian citizen working as (General Manager Internal Audit) in Bank. 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 contacted you independently of our investigation and
no one is informed of this communication. I would like to intimate you with
certain facts that I believe would be of interest to you. I know you would
be wondering why I am writing you with a request such as this but I only
urge you to read on.

I decided to contact you through email due to the urgency, anyway I need
your co-operation in receiving US$2.5 Million that has been in a dormant
account with my bank since 2002 under inheritance claim. 40% of the total
sums will be accrued to you upon the confirmation of the funds in your
nominated account. Although it may seem small, but you have to understand
and accept it, as my entitlement here is also 60%. I need your co-operation
here because the account holder an Malaysia Chieftain and businessman died
at the war I find out this during the course of our internal audit, I have
tried to reach any of the next trustees, but to no avail and since I am not
in position to make the claim, I can establish you before the bank as the
heir to the bequest.

It is very important that the claim is made, as the bank will turn the
funds over to the treasury anytime from now if it remains unclaimed. I will
provide you with detailed information on the modalities of this operation
once I have your interest but I must say that trust flourishes business.

Therefore let your conscience towards this proposal is nurtured with
sincerity.This is of utmost importance and I shall provide you with
further details of this operation.

Please reach me on my private email address: liz168718@gmail.com

A million thanks for your attention and time.

Yours sister

Zhang Li

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam