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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- 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:
- "into your nominated bank account" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "hundred thousand us dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Fraud email example:
From: Hsbc Holdings Plc <hsbcbnk@writeme.com>
Reply-To: Hsbc Holdings Plc <INF.HSBC@ACCOUNTANT.COM>
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:31:53 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: VERY URGENT
Hsbc Holdings Plc
Chief Financial Officer.
Ref: HSBC/FPD/0001576/15
Attention to you,
This is a reminder message regarding your compensational fund in the sum of US$5, 500, 000.00 (Five Million, Five hundred thousand US dollars only) approved by the U.S. Treasury Department. The Department of HSBC BANK has been mandated by the U.S. Treasury Department and the United States Government to handle the payment of your compensation fund of the above amount by Bank to Bank wire transfer. Your email contact is amongs the listed beneficiaries in our data. And we have been assigned by the management of HSBC Bank to carryout delivery of your fund to you.
This compensation is in compliance with the IMF and World bank's directives to pacify victims of scam. On this note, we are pleased to inform you that we are waiting for the re-confirmation of your banking details for your immediate delivery of your conpensation in your favor.
You are hereby required to re-confirm your Banking details, telephone and fax number and present address. Upon receipt of the above requirements from you we shall commence the wire delivery of your fund into your nominated bank account which you will provide.
Further instruction/directive will be sent to you upon receipt of your acknowledgment to this message.
Best Regards
Mr. John T. McGinnis
Chief Financial Officer(CFO)
HSBC USA
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Anti-fraud resources:
