joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"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: "Frederick Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <info@vicenzaingegneria.it>
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2023 16:35:37 -0700
Subject: Confirm as urgent

United Bank for Africa (UBA)
 
New York Regional Address  
 
No.1 Rockefeller Plaza, 8th Floor New York, NY10020 
 
Direct Desk : +1 (917) 979 5276
 
 
 
 
Dear Beneficiary, I am the bank manager of the United Bank For Africa (UBA), New York annex office, USA. I am reaching you as directed by my bank's regional office in Nigeria, (Africa region) regarding your approved payment valued $14,700,000 (fouteen million, seven hundred  thousand dollars, Only) to be forwarded to you upon completion of due processes.
 
This payment shall come to you directly from my office, United Bank For Africa (UBA) New York Regional Office, No.1 Rockefeller Plaza, 8th Floor New York, NY10020 .
 
Prior to change of government which is taking place in Nigeria, your payment file alas was approved by Central bank Of Nigeria (CBN) and was forwarded to our parent bank in Nigeria viz United Bank For Africa (UBA) in Nigeria who in turn has send instructions and approval to my office in USA, UBA bank, new York annex to facilitate your payment from USA in order to reduce bottlenecks and also cut all intercontinental delays.
 
Before now, we received an email notification from one Mr. Lamar acting as your representative notifying us with a power of an attorney, instructing us to pay the $14,700,000.00 to his account below:
 
Account Name: Lamar W.
Bank Name:  CitiBank
Address: 100 Citibank Drive San Antonio, Texas 78245
Routing No: 113193532
Account No: 40501825959
Account Type: Checking
Swift Code:  CITIUS33
 
My bank  have two options of payment unveiled awaiting confirmation.
 
Needed from you now as a matter of urgency is an authorisation confirming granting of the said power of an atorney to Mr. Lamar as related to this matter. In addition, I also wait your reconfirmation of your personal datas as stated below in your reply email for verification to enable me proceed further. Information as below:
 
1) YOUR NAMES IN FULL ------(as it appears on your valid ID)
2) DATE OF BIRTH------------(mm-dd-yy)
3) PRESENT ADDRESS----------(not P.O Box)
4) PHONE--------------------
5) FAX----------------------
6) NEXT OF KIN--------------
 
At your service,
 
Frederick Williams
 
Business manager
 
United Bank For Africa (UBA), New York Branch, USA
 
Direct Phone: +1 (917) 979 5276

Anti-fraud resources: