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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "HSBC BANK USA" (may be fake)
Reply-To: < info_deptoffice2010@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2016 15:11:19 +0100
Subject: RE:16/02/2016

HSBC BANK USA New York
58 Bowery New York,
Email:info_deptoffice2010@yahoo.co.jp
 
Attention: Beneficiary
 
WITH REGARDS TO YOUR OUTSTANDING PAYMENT.
 
This is with regards to your outstanding payment with us HSBC Bank of America I am Micheal Smith , the Director of international Transfer and Investigation, the HSBC Bank of America and , the  board of directors,has directed me to contact you without any further delays in regards to your long awaited payment which has been under attack  now, I am sure you will be very confused at this point but we are doing all within our power to ensure that your Sum of USD$12.5M is not released to the wrong person.
 
We have approved all outstanding debts owned to Foreign Beneficiaries by the British government and the America Government in this Second quarter payment of this Frist year of 2016. This decision was taken based on the abnormalities and inability of the release of your long awaited fund by our Bank into your bank account ,whereby it was discovered that some Directors/Officials  of the bank were diverting foreign beneficiaries payment to another account of their choice overseas this second  Quarter  . In view of this,during our investigation I found out that an account was submitted to divert your fund to an Account here in the United States . Below is the account submitted and I want you to confirm if you are aware of the new development because we are about effecting payment to the account stated below today.
 
Beneficiary:  Williams Leslie
Bank: HSBC BANK USA
A/C No.: 221001076136
Swiftcode :BOFAUS3N
Rounting number:061904208
 
Finally,be informed that a payment instruction has been issued and Forwarded to the Treasury Department/ Telex Dept of HSBC  USA In favor of you and your company for immediate release of your fund to the account above without any further prejudice. But there is no way we can approve the fund to the above account without you confirming if you have changed your Bank Account Details of  your fund to be transfer to the Beneficiary: Williams Leslie  Bank Account in  the United States.
Contact me immediately for further clarification to know if you have Giving instruction to transfer your fund to the above account today.On behalf Of the entire management of the (HSBC Bank) if you fail to contact this office on or before 24hrs from now then we will make wire Transfer your  fund to the Beneficiary Williams Leslie account: HSBC Bank account.
 
 
 
Thanks for your co-operation.
 
Waiting for your urgent response
 
Yours faithfully
 
Micheal Smith

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