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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: "Standard Chartered Bank" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <generalmanagercbank.uk@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 15:25:39 -0400
Subject: KINDLY RESPOND AS URGENT AS POSSIBLE.

C/O:
FROM OFFICE OF THE GENERAL MANAGER
FOREIGN OPERATIONS UNIT
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK
COOPERATE HEAD OFFICE
ADDRESS:1 BASING-HALL AVENUE
LONDON-EC2V 5DD.
CONTACT PHONE: +44-702-402-1358
 
OUR REF: ON72071-SC-BANK/LONDON
YOUR REF: SCB-UK/UN/02-2012
 
     DEAR BENEFICIARY  
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY ON YOUR PAYMENT AND ALL THE INCONVENIENCES THAT MIGHT HAVE INFLICTED YOU. HOWEVER, WE WISH TO BRING TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE SOME MIXED UP WITH YOUR PAYMENT BEFORE PROCEEDING ON EFFECTING THE TRANSFER OF YOUR PAYMENT TO THE NEW ACCOUNT.
DID YOU BY ANY MEANS AUTHORIZED ONE JAMES DURWARD GILLIARD, MANAGING DIRECTOR, (G & T ENTERPRISES, LLC) 948 MYRTLE COURT MOUNT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA 29464, USA FOR A CHANGE OF BANK ACCOUNT FOR ONWARD TRANSFER OF YOUR FUNDS ON YOUR BEHALF?
PLEASE CONFIRM URGENTLY FOR IMMEDIATE TRANSFER INTO THIS ACCOUNT TO AVOID FURTHER STATUTORY ANOMALIES.THE ACCOUNT OWNER (JAMES D. GILLIARD) CLAIMED TO BE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENT THE BELOW ACCOUNT STATEMENT ON YOUR BEHALF THAT YOU ARE IN A SICK BED, HENCE AUTHORIZED US TO TRANSFER YOUR OVER-DUE OUTSTANDING PAYMENT TO THIS NOMINATED US BANK ACCOUNT AS STATED BELOW:
US BANK
721 LOCUST STREET
ST, LOUIS, MO 63101 USA.
ACCOUNT BENEFICIARY: JAMES D. GILLIARD.
ABA ROUTING NUMBER: 081000210
INTL SWIFT CODE: USBKUS44IMT
ACCOUNT NO: 1001086162
PHONE: 300-425-2000
LOCAL BRANCH PHONE: 843-971-1996
IF YES, YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE US WITH THE POWER OF ATTORNEY TO THIS EFFECT FORMALLY AUTHORIZING SOMEONE TO CHANGE YOUR ACCOUNT DETAILS FOR THE TRANSFER AND ALSO NOTE THAT YOUR INABILITY TO RECONFIRM TO US AND REPORT IMMEDIATELY UPON THE RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER WOULD BE RECALL THAT YOU ACTUALLY EMPOWERED HIM TO CLAIM YOUR FUNDS AND WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO EFFECT TRANSFER OF THE PAYMENT TO THE ABOVE BANK ACCOUNT WITHIN SEVEN(7) BANKING DAYS AS WE WILL NOT BE HELD FOR ANY SHORTCOMING THEREAFTER.
SO YOU ARE HEREBY ADVICE TO ACT ACCORDINGLY IN REPORTING TO THIS OFFICE FOR IMMEDIATE VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION BEFORE OUR PROCEEDINGS.
THANKS FOR YOUR CORDIAL CO-OPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR URGENT CONFIRMATION.
 
YOURS IN SERVICE,
 
MR. WILLIAM BLATTNER
GENERAL MANGER: OPERATIONS
FOR: STANDARD CHARTERED BANK.

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