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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: (sent from abused email account)
Reply-To: hsbcbankplc_pay@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2008 08:04:55 -0700
Subject: A MATTER OF URGENCY


HSBCBANK,LONDON PLC.
CLAPHAM JUNCTION BRANCH,
7 ST JOHNS HILL,SW 11 1 TN,
LONDON ENGLAND.
WWW.HSBCBANk.co.uk <http://www.hsbcbank.co.uk/>

Attention: Beneficiary,

REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

This is to notify you about the status of your fund presently in my desk.
After due vetting and evaluation of your Inheritance file which The Ministry
of Finance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Forwarded and contacted us to
see to your immediate payment. From our findings you have been going through
hard ways by paying alot of charges to see to the release of your fund
USD$25 000,000,00 (Twenty Five Million U.S. Dollars) which has been delayed.

We advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence from
Nigeria. You don't have to pay any charges to receive your Inheritance fund
anymore as you have met up with the whole requirements, your representatives
in Nigeria will tell you to still go ahead with them but on your own risk.
The only thing required from you is to obtain Non-Resident Clearance Form /
Reciept which we are not asking you to pay the fee to us here in United
Kingdom as the Government of Nigeria have paid us for handling / processing
of your payment with other customers.

We will help you to see that you obatin the form so that our bank will
effect immediate transfer of your inheritance sum (USD$25 000, 000, 00) in
to your designated bank account. If you follow up our directives your fund
will reflect in your account within five working Bank days from the day you
obtain this form. Do not go through anybody again but through this Bank if
you really want your fund. Please respond to my private email: (
hsbcbankplc_pay@yahoo.com)

YOURS sINCERELY,
MR.bernald harrison
HEAD, PRIVATE BANKING SECTION.(PBS)
HSBC BANK PLC.

Anti-fraud resources: