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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Barclays Bank Scotland" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barclaysbnkscotland@administrativos.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:00:49 -0800
Subject: BARCLAYS BANK FUND ALERT/URGENT CONFIRMATION NEEDED.

Barclays Bank Plc.
Scotland Branch,
21 Cowgate Kirkintilloche,
Glasglow, Scotland G66 1HW
Website: www.barclaysbank.co.uk
E-mail: (barclaysbnkscotland@administrativos.com )
ATTENTION: ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS?
Are you dead or alive? The reason for this question is that we received an email from one Mr. Henry Kyle. He has claimed to be a very good friend of yours, Mr. Henry Kyle has brought to the notice of this Bank that you are, dead and that you have given him a Letter Of Authorization signed by your personal attorney before your death to enable him receive your fund, which is pending in our Bank as your next of kin.
Mr. Kyle in his email referred the Management of this Bank to the below site:
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/12/25/benin.crash/index.html
He stated that your unfortunate death on the 25 of December 2003 was on the CNN news. According to him, after the unfortunate plane crash, which claimed your live and that of your entire family, you were among those that was rushed to an emergency hospital, whereby you died few days later and gave him the Authorization Letter before your death to enable him claim your fund, which has been pending for long in this bank. Mr. Kyle added that why he has taken this long to claim the fund is because he has been on a business trip since after your death.
Although, we have responded to Mr. Henry Kyle, but in our response we told him that we have to confirm if you are really dead to avoid any kind of money laundry from him, and also told him that your fund valued at the total sum of (15,000,000.00GBP) only; has been approved in your favor, and that we will start the transfer of the fund to him into the account he has provided us with, but only after we confirm if you are really dead or not. In addition, we have asked him to call back after 5 Bank working days to enable us carry out our investigations thoroughly by confirm if you are really dead.
Washington Mutual Bank
2075 S. Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
800 788-7000
Acct. name: Mr. Henry Kyle.
Acct Number: 1951204345
Swift Code & Routing Number: withheld for security reasons.
Please, if you are really alive, you are advice to quickly get back to this bank on: (barclaysbnkscotland@administrativos.com) to let us know if you are alive.
Thanks for your co-operation.
 
 
Miss Joy Carr
Head, Transfer Department.
Barclays Bank, Scotland Branch.
 

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