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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: "Dong Fai" <dongfai@asia.com>
Reply-To: dongfai@tutanota.com
Date: Sat, 19 May 2018 06:41:27 +1000
Subject: Business Interest.


I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a deceased client, =
and an investment placed under our banks management 9 years ago. I would =
respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential a=
nd respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this=
mail. I contact you independently and no one is informed of this commun=
ication. In 2009, the subject matter; Alfred Abbott came to our bank to eng=
age in business discussions with our private banking division. He informed =
us that he had a financial portfolio of Eighteen Million, Three Hundred and=
Fifty Thousand United States Dollars, which he wished to have us invest on=
his behalf. Based on my advice, we spun the money around various oppor=
tunities and made attractive margins for our first months of operation, the=
accrued profit and interest stood at over Two Million. In mid 2012, he ins=
tructed that the principal sum Eighteen Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Th=
ousand United States Dollars, be liquidated because he needed to make an ur=
gent investment requiring cash payments in Hong Kong. We got in touch wit=
h the Kincheng Banking Corporation which is a specialist bank in China, and=
has now been merged with the Bank of China, with a foreign representative =
branch in Hong Kong who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cas=
h available to Alfred. However, Bank of China got in touch with us last y=
ear that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out=
that Alfred was involved in an accident in Mainland China, which means he =
died Interstate. On further investigation we found out that Late Alfred lef=
t behind no next of kin and this is the reason I am writing you. What I p=
ropose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, and I can make yo=
u the beneficiary of these funds. My bank will contact you informing you th=
at money has been willed to you. On verification, which will be the details=
I make available to my bank, my bank will instruct Bank of China to make p=
ayments to you. You do not have to have known him. I know this might be a b=
it heavy for you, but please trust me on this. For your assistance I propos=
e that we split the money in half. In the banking cirle this happens every=
time. The other option is that the money will revert back to the state. T=
his is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the KEY to these funds, and as=
a Chinese National we see so much cash and funds being re-assigned daily. =
I would want us to keep communication for now strictly by email, as time go=
es on I shall furnish you with my telephone number, so you can also reach m=
e by phone. My spoken English is not too good, but you should be able to un=
derstand me. Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a wife and chi=
ldren. I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to the consequ=
ences, because I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and=
that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is t=
he one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray =
my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this. P=
lease if you accept my proposal respond back to me immediately via the abov=
e email. I await your positive response. Dong Fai.

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