419 scam: "WorldBank Consults"<wbconsults@sify.com> READ CAREFULLY PLEASE

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447024027984 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "WorldBank Consults" (may be fake)
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:21:13 -0700
Subject: READ CAREFULLY PLEASE

THE WORLD BANK GROUP,
15TH FLOOR, NEWZERLAND HOUSE HAYMARKET
LONDON SW1Y 4TE, ENGLAND
Our Ref: WBG/PRS/UK-FR/007-2010/IWP
Phone: +44702 402 7984

ALERT FROM THE WORLD BANK GROUP...PLS READ CAREFULLY.

ATTN: Beneficiary,

There is an issue with the World Bank group London for your part-payment valued at TWO MILLION FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATE DOLLARS directed and credited to file SRN/ 9023118308/10, which has now been reverted a couple of hours ago due to the new bank security act.

In view to several efforts already made by the organization to contact you for the following reasons, which is based on information submitted to this office of the world bank on your behalf.

(A) We have however received a FUNDS CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE from MR. RAINER HESSE to recieve the payment valued at 2.5Million USD on your behalf.

Please, confirm to our department if you have instructed Mr. Rainer Hesse to receive your funds on your behalf, and if so send a copy of this clearance certificate that we have received from him to prove that your negotiating bank actually approved Mr. Rainer to receive the funds from the world bank.

In order to resolve this problem, we need you to re-confirm with this office immediately by sending the requested document, or else you would have to begin new processings to claim this funds. as soon as we receive your information, a transfer will be effected to you from the treasury of the external reserve into your nominated bank account.

I await your urgent response.

Thanks,

Dr. Andrew Jones.
The World Bank Group London
15TH FLOOR, NEWZERLAND HOUSE HAYMARKET
LONDON SW1Y 4TE, ENGLAND
Phone: +44702 402 7984

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam