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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: "COMMERCIAL BANK BERHAD" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info-commercialbkberhad@accountant.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2014 05:11:20 +0800
Subject: --Happy New-- Urgent Notice

COMMERCIAL BANK BERHAD
INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT
CORPORATE HEAD QUARTERS KUALA LUMPUR
 
OUR REF: CBB/PAY-BX/021/13
 
Dear Urgent,
 
I write to inform you of two gentlemen who came to our office this morning to make claim of funds already in your name with a letter of authority duly signed by you.
 
The management have review their application to transfer your funds to their account but mandated me to inquire from the beneficiary first if he is aware of this authorization before we can commence on the release of the funds in your name to them, we request your confirmation urgently, because the origin of your fund is in Malaysia not any other place.
 
Please confirm this urgently as they are coming back to have the funds released to them by Monday next week, so please confirm this as fast as you receive this message because i must hear from you before i signed the Fund Release Authorization to release your fund to them.
 
Thanks, awaiting for your urgent confirmation.
 
Yours in service
 
Mr. Hassan Bin Omar
Payment Informer
Commercial Bank Berhad
CBB Group
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

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