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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: "BANK OF ENGLAND" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bank.england39@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 22:34:15 -1200
Subject: REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

BANK OF ENGLAND
CLAPHAM JUNCTION BRANCH,
7 ST JOHNS HILL,
SW 11 1 TN, LONDON
E_mail:(professorcharlesrichardbean@ymail.com)
 
Attention: Beneficiary
 
REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT
 
This is to notify you about the statue of your fund right now in my desk. After due vetting and evaluation of your
Inheritance file which the Ministry of Finance in connection with British Government Forwarded and contacted us to
see to your immediate payment.
 
We write to inform you that, this office has arranged the entire necessary document for our Telex Department for immediate
programming them into our payment system. But we can not transfer the fund into your account yet until you get the
(NON RESIDENTIAL CERTIFICATE) submit to this bank for immediately transfer into your account. We shall update you with
next correspondence as soon as we confirm the documents.
 
>From our findings you have been going through hard ways by paying a lot of charges to see to the release of your fund
($15, 000, 000, 00) which has been delayed. We advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence from
anywhere concerning your fund. 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 here in London or 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/Receipt which we are not asking you to pay the
fee to us here in this bank but to the authority that will issue the document, this bank have paid us for handling/processing
of your payment with other customers. We will help you to see that you obtain the form so that our bank will affect
immediate transfer of your Inheritance sum ($15,000, 000, 00) in to your designated bank account.
 
If you follow up our directives your fund will reflect in your account within two 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. Contact  this
e-mail address (professorcharlesrichardbean@ymail.com)
Head, Private Banking Section.
 
Yours sincerely,
Professor Charles Richard Bean,
Executive Director Bank of England.

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