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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: "Margaret Hoft .S." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <margaret.hoft202@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2018 21:03:02 +0100
Subject: REF: OUR INTERNAL PRIVATE BANKING APPROVED FUNDS TRANSFER

From the Desk of: Margaret Hoft .S.
Foreign Exchange Department,
Banking Solutions and Trade Department.
Customer Relations Section.
Official Mailbag:WWW.barclays.co.UK
 
 
 
REF: OUR INTERNAL PRIVATE BANKING APPROVED FUNDS TRANSFER (I.P.B.A.F).
 
 
 
Sir,
 
 
 
On behalf of the Foreign Exchange Department of this Financial Institution, I wish to inform you that your Contract, Inheritance and Winning Fund is being processed and will be released to you through our Approved Payment Channels as soon as we receive response to this urgent notification.
 
 
 
 
To avoid all further bottlenecks, we have allocated you with a new International Payment Voucher Number: UK/BARCGB22-BGWB82UN-G, Approval Number: 7402-2011, Certificate of Merit Number: 781 and Release Code Number: 0295 and you must quote any of these Identification Numbers during your response to this email for security reasons and proper identification.
 
 
Please note that, your file is currently in our office, and from the records we have in our file, you have been cleared to receive this fund as soon as we have a NEW ACCOUNT allocated out to you.
 
 
 
 
So indicate the mode you consider most convenient to allow us take further steps to that effect. Also reconfirm the following information to us for final ratification exercise of your payment:
 
{Your Full Name
{Your Contact Address
{Your Direct telephone. Fax Number ( if any)
{Your AGE and what you do for a living
{How Many Months Or Years in which You Have Been Expecting your Payment
{The Place you sent Money Last whether Nigeria or London etc
{The Last Amount of Money You sent indicating What Month and Year
 
 
As soon as these Information are received, your payment will be duly processed and released to you as you may deem fit through our most reliable payment channels within the shortest possible time.
 
 
 
Your receiving banking details are only relevant if you choose the first and/or last mode of payment. Further information guidance will be availed to you as soon as we receive your response to this final payment release order.
 
 
Thanks for your anticipated cooperation.
 
 
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
 
Margaret Hoft .S.
Foreign Exchange Department,
Swift Card Consultants Payment Center.
Barclay's Bank Plc.
London, United Kingdom.
 
 
 
Security.
Barclay's will not send emails to customers requesting security or confidential details, such as membership numbers, pass codes or memorable word information. Further advice can be found on the Security section of the Personal Banking website.
 
 
 
Confidentiality.
This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the addressee, and may also be privileged or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, or have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system and do not copy, disclose or otherwise act upon any part of this email or its attachments. Any opinion or other information in this email or its attachment, that does not relate to the business of the Barclay's Group, is personal to the sender and is not given or endorsed by the Barclays Group. Barclays Bank PLC. Registered in England. Registered No: 1026167. Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP. Barclay's Bank PLC is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
 
 

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