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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: "Dr. Cheng Cho" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <chocheng2006@yahoo.com.cn>
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2011 18:55:15 -0400
Subject: RE: FROM DR. CHENG CHO..... ( BANK OF CHINA )

>From the desk of:
Dr. Cheng L Cho,
Bank of china,
Shenzhen,
Peoples Republic Of China.
  
I am Dr. Cheng L Cho, Bank Manager of Bank of China, Shenzhen Branch, China.
I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. A British Oil
consultant/contractor with the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation, mr. Raymond
Beck made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at
Thirty Million US dollars in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine
notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month,
we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers,
the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation, that Mr.. Raymond Beck died in a
plane crash along with his wife Mrs. Doreen Beck in Egypt Air Flight 990,
1999 air crash (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm).
  
Since we got this information about his death. On further investigation,
I found out that he died without making a WILL and all attempts to trace
his next of kin was fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and
discovered that Mr.. Raymond Beck did not declare any kin or relations in all
his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This
sum of Thirty Million dollars is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is
being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will
ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of Republic of China, at the
expiration of (12 ) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Chinese
Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.
  
Consequently, my proposal is for you as a foreigner, to stand in as the next of
kin to Mr.Raymond Beck so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get
into the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple, I will like
you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will
prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the
next of kin. We shall employ the services of an attorney for drafting and
notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and letter of
probate/administration in your favor for the transfer.
  
A bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate
the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be
paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of eighty percent for me and
twenty percent for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this
transaction will be done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.
  
If you are Interested, please reply immediately via the private email address above.
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents
that will help you understand the transaction. Please send me your confidential telephone
and fax numbers for easy communication.
  
Regards,
Dr. Cheng L Cho.

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