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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: "Mr.Vincent Hong " <vincenthong23231@yahoo.cn>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:46:15 +0800 (CST)
Subject: PREVIOUSLY SENT. PLEASE REPLY.


Dear Associate,
 
Thanks alot for your interest in partnering with me! I sure like to tell you that we will gain alot from this transaction but there are some certain things we must do to achieve this...However let me give you a comprehensive note what this is about.I am Mr.Vincent Hong, Non Executive Director of Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Hong Kong. An Iraqi named Haider Hanoon,a business man made a numbered fixed deposit of Forty Four million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only in my branch.. Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even during the war, Seven years ago (2003). Again after the war another notification was sent and still no response came from him. We later found out that Haider Hanoon and his family had been killed during the war in Gunfire that hit their home at Mukaradeeb.
 
After further investigation it was also discovered that Haider Hanoon 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, Forty Four million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars is still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it. What bothers me is that according to the laws of my country at the expiration seven years six months the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.
 
Be informed that the fact that you are a foreigner gives you the privilege to stand in as my deceased client beneficiary as my deceased had no relation all his family died with him during the war and i can not use my relation because its not accepted here in Hong Kong. Also I am very confident that we will be able to establish the trust that is needed to complete this deal and all that I need for now is your willingness and commitment so that we can end this in the next two weeks. What you need to understand about this transaction is that I will make sure that it passes through all international banking laws regards to this I will take care of the cost of retaining the service of my Attorney to give the transaction the proper documentation that is required to perfect the finishing.Your only obligation in this transaction is to accept to stand in as the only existing beneficiary of my deceased client and you will have to set up offshore account that can
accommodate the funds with my principal bank which I will give you information later once we finalize this deal.
 
I hope that the above is well clear to you,if so kindly send me the following;
1. Your Full Name which will be used to prepare the legal paper
2. Your Current Home Address which will be used to prepare the legal paper
3. Your Personal Phone Number
4. Nature Of Job
 
Mind your names and address will be used by my Attorney to prepare the needed documents that will back you up as the sole beneficiary of my deceased client funds while I shall contact you with your phone number for further discussions. Once again thanks for your interest and willingness to partner with me in pulling out my late client funds from my bank,I am anticipating to reading from you very soon.
 
Sincerely,
Vincent Hong.



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