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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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Fraud email example:

From: "Simon Wong" <simonwong6@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 22:53:38 -0500
Subject: credit officer Partnership proposition

MR.SIMON WONG
DAH SING BANK LTD.
DES VOEUX RD. BRANCH,
CENTRAL HONG KONG,
HONK KONG.
Private Email:simon68wong@hong-kong-1.com

Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr.Simon Wong credit officer of Dah
Sing Bank Ltd.I have a beneficial business suggestion for you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war, our client Mr. Hatem Kamil Abdul Tatah who
was a contractor to the Iraqi forces and also business man and deputy
governor of Baghdad, made a numbered fixed deposit for 18 calendar months,
with a value of Twenty-four Million,Five hundred thousand United States
Dollars only in my branch [US$24,500,000.00].

Upon maturity several notices were sent to him, even during the war. Again
after further much notification to his business address and still no
response came from him. We later found out that Mr Hatem Kamil Abdul Fatah
was killed in a drive-by shooting, and his entire family died in a bomb
blast that hit their home
respectively.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3970619.stm]

After further investigation it was also discovered that Mr. Hatem Kamil
Abdul Tatah did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including
the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last
time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my
bank. So, Twenty-four Million,Five hundred thousand United States Dollars is
still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.

What bothers me most is that according to the laws of my country, at the
expiration two years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong
Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as a
foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr.Hatem Kamil Abdul Tatah so that
you will be able to receive his funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall
come out successful. I have contacted an attorney that will prepare the
necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to Mr.Hatem
Kamil Abdul Tatah,all that is required from you at this stage is for you to
provide me with your Full Names and Address so that the attorney can
commence his job.

After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also fill in for
claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of
probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account that will be
provided by you.

There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going to adopt a
legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents.

Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning
this issue.Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank
account we shall share in the ratio of 70% for me and 30% for you.

Should you be interested please, send me your full name, private phone and
fax numbers for easy communication, you can write me via my private box
below and I will provide you with more details of this operation.Your
earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Simon Wong
Dah Sing Bank Ltd.
Hong Kong.
simon68wong@hong-kong-1.com


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