419 scam: "Skye Bank"<Skye.Bank@sms.com> IS BARBARA KLEIHANS FROM YOU?

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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:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Skye Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <t.r-reese@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 14:58:28 -0000
Subject: IS BARBARA KLEIHANS FROM YOU?

FROM THE DESK OF: TIMOTHY R REESE
GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
SKYE BANK NIGERIA PLC,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

ATTENTION,

YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS OF $4.5M

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUNDS HAS BEEN GAZZETED TO BE RELEASED, VIA ATM CARD TO YOU BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE FUND TRANSFER. MEANWHILE, A WOMAN CAME TO MY OFFICE FEW DAYS AGO WITH A LETTER, CLAIMING TO BE YOUR TRUE REPRESENTATIVE.

HERE ARE HER INFORMATIONS:

NAME: BARBARA KLEIHANS
BANK NAME: CITY BANK.
ACCOUNT Number: 089714001101.

PLEASE, DO CONFIRM TO THIS OFFICE, AS A MATTER OF URGENCY IF THIS WOMAN IS FROM YOU SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT HOLD US RESPONSIBLE FOR WRONGFUL PAYMENT OR UNLAWFUL DIVERSION OF YOUR OVERDUE FUND INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT. THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR,EXECUTIVE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN OVER DUE INHERITANCE FUND HAVE APPROVED AND ACCREDITED THIS REPUTABLE BANK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE / FOREIGN OPERATIONS, TO HANDLE AND TRANSFER ALL FOREIGN INHERITANCE FUNDS THIS FIRST QUARTER PAYMENT OF THE YEAR.

HOWEVER, WE SHALL PROCEED TO ISSUE ALL PAYMENTS DETAILS TO THE SAID MRS.BARBARA KLEIHANS IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT THREE WORKING DAYS FROM TODAY.

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE

BEST REGARDS,
TIMOTHY R REESE

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam