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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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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "FROM CITIBANK" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <jamesbrown726@ymail.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 06:18:32 -0400
Subject: RE:RESPOND TO ME VERY URGENTLY

CITIBANK  MALAYSIA
Attn. Beneficiary,
 
                            CHANGE OF BENEFICIARY
 
I hereby send to you the information submitted by  MR. MOHD BIN ISMAIL. 42, Jalan Cemara 7, Taman Saujana Utama,47000 Sungai Buloh,Selangor,Malaysia., with an application to receive your payment on your behalf. Please as a matter of urgency, you are required to verify the following information and inform us if you are aware or know anything about this. This morning MR.MR. MOHD BIN ISMAIL  came to the office claiming that you have instructed him to come and receive the payment on your behalf with some representatives.
 
I have ask them to come back tomorrow as they did not provide any power of an attorney from you which will proof that you thoroughly send them, This was to enable me contact you to verify how genuine this people are to you.
 
1. Did you instruct one  MR. MOHD BIN ISMAIL. 42, Jalan Cemara 7, Taman Saujana Utama,47000 Sungai Buloh,Selangor,Malaysia. whose information's is below, to claim and receive the payment on your behalf?
2. Did you sign any 'Deed of Assignment' in his favor thereby making him the current beneficiary with the following account details:
 
Name of the Bank:          Maybank
A/C Name:                  MR. MOHD BIN ISMAIL
Account:                  1642 1225 7458
Bank swift code:          MBBEMYKL.
Address: 100 Jalan Tun Perak 50050
              Kuala lumpur Malaysia
 
Finally, you are hereby advised to indicate to this honorable office with immediate effect, if you are the person that instructed MR. MOHD BIN ISMAIL to come for the claim of your fund worth of $4.500,000.00 (Four Million FIVE United States Dollars), to enable us endorse for the final payment approval order on his behalf. Endeavor send your reply via this E-mail (jamesbrown726@ymail.com) for urgent attention.You here by advised to furnish this office with these informations below.
 
1) Your full name.
2) Phone, fax and mobile #.
3) Company name, position and address.
4) Profession, age and marital status.
We shall be waiting for your urgent and prompt response.
Sincerely,
 
Mr.James A.Brown
DIRECTOR,
CITIBANK

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