419 scam: "Citibank Nigeria Limited"<frontdesk@NorthwestRockford.org> DEPOSIT CONFIRMATION: Telegraphic Wire Transfer

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "activation fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +2348057621544 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- diamondrobertdcs@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Citibank Nigeria Limited" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <diamondrobertdcs@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2015 02:40:44 -0800
Subject: DEPOSIT CONFIRMATION: Telegraphic Wire Transfer

Citibank Nigeria Limited
Charles S. Sankey House
27 Kofo Abayomi Street
Victoria Island
Lagos Nigeria

CITI BANK ONLINE NOTIFICATION

This message confirms that on Wednesday January 28th @ 08:29:43 PDT 2015 we received a Telegraphic Wire Transfer of $450,090.00 from the United States Government as your compensatory grant.

The funds have since been deposited into an Escrow Account with Citibank Group and your e-mail address was attached as reference to beneficiary. This funds has been confirmed to be legitimately yours and is available for remittance immediately.

The standard payment procedure is as follows:- The funds will be wired directly into any bank account of your choice by the Citibank Nigeria Limited Lagos Nigeria.

You are required to activate the Escrow Account by making a payment of $480.00 via the Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram to Enable the Wire Transfer function of the Account. The fee also covers all inherent litigation fees.

PLEASE NOTE: The Escrow Account Activation Fee of $480.00 could not be deducted from $450,090.00 as your funds are protected by a "Federal Government Premium Hardcover Insurance Policy" installed to prevent any deductions from your funds.

This means that the Escrow Account Activation Fee cannot be deducted from your funds and hence must be provided by you before the funds can be wired out of the Escrow Account by the payment secretary.

CONTACT CITI BANK CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IN LAGOS NIGERIA WEST AFRICA TO RETRIEVE INFORMATION ON HOW TO MAKE PAYMENT OF THE ESCROW ACTIVATION FEE IMMEDIATELY:

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Diamond Robert
E-MAIL: diamondrobertdcs@gmail.com
PHONE: +234-805 762 1544

UPON CONFIRMATION OF PAYMENT OF THE ESCROW ACCOUNT ACTIVATION FEE ($480.00), WE WILL SEND YOU A BLANK WIRE TRANSFER FORM AND YOUR FUNDS WILL BE WIRED DIRECTLY INTO ANY BANK ACCOUNT OF YOUR CHOICE.

The remittance procedure can only be completed through Diamond Robert.

This notification is for informational purposes only.

Please do not reply to this message.

Sincerely,

Citibank Nigeria Limited

The Information contained and transmitted by this E-MAIL is proprietary to Citi Bank and/or its Customer and is intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or exempt from a disclosure under applicable law.
If this is a forwarded message, the content of this E-MAIL may not have been sent with the authority of the Bank. Citi Bank shall not be liable for any mails sent without due authorisation or through unauthorised access.
If you are not the intended recipient, an agent of the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering the information to the named recipient, you are notified that any use, distribution, transmission, printing, copying or dissemination of this information in any way or in any manner is strictly prohibited.
If you have received this communication in error, please delete this mail and notify us immediately at customerservice@citibankonline-uk.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam