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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: "Hans-Ulrich Meister" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <hansulrich.meister@yahoo.es>
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 16:48:07 -0600
Subject: From Hans-Ulrich Meister,

Hello Dear,
 
I will like to solicit your help in a business proposition, which is by nature very confidential. I
Know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one worried and Apprehensive but I am assuring you not to worry, as all will be well at the end of this endeavor.
My name is Mr. Hans-Ulrich Meister currently I am the Head of Private Banking & Wealth Management of the Credit Suisse AG, Switzerland and a personal friend to the deceased (Dr. Evans) who died of a cardiac arrest a few years ago in a London Hospital, leaving behind the sum  USD118, 305,000.00 in our Bank here in Switzerland.
 
So far, valuable efforts has been made to get to his people, but to no avail, as he had no known relatives more because he left his next of kin column in his account opening forms blank and he has no known relative. Due to this development the bank has come forward to ask me as his personal friend to bring forward a close relative to claim the funds before the Swiss Government diverting the funds into their own accounts as an unclaimed fund if nothing is done soon.
 
After these several unsuccessful attempts, we took the courage to look for a reputable person to act as the next of kin to late Engr. Evans so that the funds could be processed and released the USD118, 305,000.00 into his or her account, which is where you come in.
Fortunately, both of you have the same last name, so it will be very easy to make you become his official next of kin and the money transferred to you. Upon receipt of your response, I will give you comprehensive details on what to do.
 
Basically the fund can be moved from our Bank here in Switzerland to your Bank account within 4-5 Business working days after you accepted our offer .Currently we are two Directors working on this deal and we agreed to reward you with 30% of the total Investment fund transferred to your Bank account while I and my associate will part away with the 70% of the fund.
 
We will use our position and influence to effect the legal approval and onward transfer of this fund into your account with appropriate clearance from the Executive Board of this bank.
 
I will furnish you with further details upon your reply. Please accept my apologies, keep my confidence and disregard this letter if you do not appreciate this proposition I have offered you.
Yours Faithfully,
 
Hans-Ulrich Meister
Head Private Banking & Wealth Management of
Credit Suisse, Zurich Switzerland

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