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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: "Union Bank Switzerland - U.K." <shittudonald75@gtbankplc.org>
Reply-To: ubs_cook@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 23:19:02 +0000
Subject: UBS Official Contact.

UNION BANK OF SWITZERLAND

London Branch: -  1 Finsbury Avenue, London.

Telephone: 44+7040106624  

Fax: 44+ 8712473977, 44+8701305546

Email:  ubs_2005@london.com

      

UBS  MAILING ADD                                                                                          Bank Clearing No. 248

I Finsbury Avenue                                                                                               Swift No. UBSWCHZH60A

London, EC2M   2PP                                                                                           Post<check> No. 30-35-9.

@UBS Bank AG 04                                                                                            Telegram No: 089223141

Cable: UBS 2190

OUR REF: UBS/435/xo/024                                                        DATE: 18th  AUG. 2005.

 

DEAR SIR,

 

RE: PAYMENT ON ACCRUED INTEREST OF US$1.2M

We, the Union Bank of Switzerland – Finsbury London Branch make official and  final contact  to inform you that,  sometime ago, in our bank your contract/Inherited money was brought to our bank from Nigerian Apex/Commercial  Bank, and after some period, this money was taken back to the Original Bank or Federal Government treasury. For the period of time this money was in our bank, it generated an interest of One Million, Two Hundred Thousand United State Dollars (US$1,200,000.00), which we are about to pay to you via International Certified Bank Draft or Telegraphic Transfer.

 

It is instructive to state that you need to hasten up to claim this Fund as the Origin Bank’s auditors do come to our bank for financial updates, thus, your immediate compliance and application of claim of your accrued interest will safe this money from being repatriated back to Nigeria as their Auditor Team will be visiting our bank Next Month for the Second Quarter Audit of the Fiscal year, 2005.

 

What we need from you now is any form of your identification, for example; your International Passport or Your  Drivers License to formalize our record before the transfer. Also we need your direct Telephone and Fax number for easier communication with your mailing address.  And indicate your option of transfer, that is through International Draft or Swift Telegraphic Transfer.

 

This communication forms our official and Final Contact as this bank will not be held responsible for lose or repatriation of your accrued interest back to Nigeria.  Therefore, contact the undersigned through TEL: 44+7040106624, or Fax 44+870135546 or Email <ubs_2005@london.com> for further instruction and direction on how to receive your money.

Yours Sincerely,

REV.  Franklin  Cook
Financial Branch  Manager.

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