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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: "Citibank Group" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <citibankgroup@yahoo.cn>
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2011 02:25:07 -0500
Subject: RE:PLS CONFIRM

DEAR BENEFICIARY,

In the course of our last quarter General Auditing and Account revision of the year 2011 ending within few months from now, we discovered that the Bank Accounts belonging to some Benefactors have been changed on the basis that the owners have died or have given out an authorization note of change of data.After the investigations on some pending transactions with Citibank group United Kingdom.However,it was revealed that there are Foreigners who are collaborating with corrupt officials of Citibank group to make these changes illegally without the knowledge of the Bonafide Benefactors and one traced to your own change is this DR.FREDERICK HSING who said you are dead, hence he has forwarded some documents of funeral service held for you so as to divert your fund to his own bank account. He has also forwarded to us account details below as the new account that will receive your funds.

BANK NAME: BANK OF AMERICA
ADDRESS:208 BROAD STREET,WINDSOR CT 06095,U.S.A
SWIFT: BOFAUS3N
ROUTINE NO:026009593
ACCOUNT NUMBER:3850-1019-9202
BENEFICIARY:DR.FREDERICK HSING

But I wanted to confirm if actually this is true and hence decided to write to your email address which after seven (7) workings days from now and there is no response from you,i will know truly you are dead indeed and go on with the transfer to DR.FREDERICK HSING bank account as given above.If proved otherwise by you that you are alive and you did not give him any authority to act on your behalf,we shall take necessary action.Please forward to us all your related particulars including your personal telephone number,postal address and any form of your identification ID,these details from you will make us reach a conclusion that you are not dead.

Anything contrary to this claim will help us charge DR.FREDERICK HSING to court of law and prosecute him while your fund will be paid to you immediately without further delay.You have to get back to us on time for us to commence legal proceedings against DR.FREDERICK HSING and his lawyer.He also sent to us some condolence/funeral pictures to show us that you are dead indeed.
I Expect your immediate/positive response.

YOURS TRULY,
GARY CRITTENDEN
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/FOREIGN REMITTANCE UNIT.
CITIGROUP INC.UK

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