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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: "CitiGroup" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <officeposts2@rediffmail.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:33:59 +0100
Subject: Account Confirmation

Dear Beneficiary
 
This is to officially informed you that two people you sent to our Bank to stand on your behalf in receiving your approved inheritance/contract fund has arrived successfully but we want to be sure if they were really sent by you that is why we are contacting you first as you know that an instruction has been given by the World Bank/IMF Debt Reconciliation Committee that all funds owed by our Member Nations to  various beneficiaries must be paid before end of year 2011.
 
Below here are the account details they submitted to us contrary to what we have on file, to transfer your total fund with the accrued interest, also we were informed that this account was given to them by you, so we want you to contact us  immediately with the confirmation of this subject matter.
 
BANK NAME: WELLS FARGO BANK.
ADDRESS: 1063 11TH ST REEDLEY CA 93654
ACCOUNT #3292957895
ROUTING # 121042882.
BENEFICIARY NAME: JAMES WELLS.
 
Please confirm to us if this information is correct and was sent and approved by
you as to enable us commence  the transfer immediately since the approval payment instruction have been given by World Bank and IMF, we need your urgent response as to enable us meet up with the payment mandate given to us. We also need your full details in order to backup your transfer payment in the following order.
 
FULL NAME
ADDRESS:
TEL. NUMBER:
COUNTRY:
AGE
SEX:
OCCUPATION:
A VALID IDENTITY CARD:
 
Yours in service,
 
Mr Kennedy Smith
Senior Manager
CitiBank Plc
CitiGroup.
Email: officeposts2@rediffmail.com

Anti-fraud resources: