Stanford Law School Creates E-Commerce Policy Center

Fake Bank Website Used In 419 Scam

from the and-so-it-goes dept

Tue, Oct 8th 2002 12:48pm — Mike Masnick

The BBC is being unusually secretive in detailing the latest method used by so-called "419" free money scammers. They registered a domain name which was a variation on a UK bank that the bank itself hadn't registered. They then created a fake, but realistic looking bank site to go along with it, and let the victims view their "account" to see all the money they would never be getting their hands on. Oddly, the article never says which bank it is, though they say that bank has now taken possession of the domain name. The big "variation" was that the domain the scammers used included the word "the" before the name of the bank.

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12 Comments

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Chris, 8 Oct 2002 @ 1:37pm

I hate to say it
But this is the oldest trick in the book! Way back in 1996 I knew a guy who was drumming up consulting business by registering bankx.net when the banks only had their .com name secured and then setting up a fake log in screen. He was careful to not save any data entered, just the fact that somebody tried. Then he would call CIO's of the banks and try to get an appt. It worked about 25% of the time. The other 75% resulted in a certified letter from a lawyer!
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kai, 8 Oct 2002 @ 6:01pm

No Subject Given
similar to the above comment, I remember several sites that copied paypal's site layout, when Paypal was offering $10 for registering your credit card information. They'd have links which looked just like paypal, but redirected to this fake site. Then they'd take your Credit card and do whatever with it...
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nick, 6 Jan 2003 @ 12:48am

bank name
I know one such fraud online bank's website, going by the name of www,continentaltrustbank.net. On doing a whois search on the website, i gathered some more information about the owner who happens to be from UK. I have sounded this alarm many a times by mailing national security, interpol, and also posting on the forums of many websites but to no avail.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Feb 2003 @ 6:25pm

Re: bank name
continentaltrustbank is now in cahoots with standardtrustinternationalbankplc from Nigeria. They are looking for my $18000 deposit to open an account. I luv to read their stories. Boy are they EVER good!!
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MAUDE E LANIER, 15 Apr 2004 @ 11:25am

CONTINENTAL TRUST BANK PLC
THESE SCAM ARTISTS HAVE EMAILED ME.PLEASE HELP.
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adnan, 11 Jun 2004 @ 4:00am

i know him
well......i think i know him hes been tryin to contact ..........me....for some reasons
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Corey Hill, 16 Mar 2006 @ 4:14pm

Nigerian National Petroleum Corp - continentaltrus
Similar situations, fake contracts for employment, fake bank operated in the UK in manchester, here is the details Continental trust bank and security Manchester United Kingdom Tell: 44-7813507314 Tell/fax 44-7031152804 Fax: 44-7005806069 Email:Mike_williams@continetaltrustbank.org Sir/madam To open an account with us I will like you to know that the kind of account the Nigeria national petroleum cooperation, use to pay there contractor that you are asking us to open for you is a diplomatic account, The account is a current account that you can pay in money check and draft and receive and transfer money from any bank in the world boat in and out of the account and have online internet transfer banking facility that you can transfer as much money that you want in a day in and out, For we to be able to open the account for you this are the requirement, (1) What do you do for a living? (2) What are you expecting to be using the account for (A) for salary wages (B) for what (3) We need to know if you are resident in United Kingdom yes or no if yes we need you to provide us with the full address if no we need you to provide us with your full address where you are resident now, (4) Your identification international passport or driving license, (5) Your tell mobile number and fax Provide us with the details require and we will have the account open for you in 24 our, Thank you for wanting to open account with us, Regards Mr. Mike Williams. Continental trust bank and security, Contact person; Mr.MIKE WILLIAMS Tell: 44-7813507314 Tell/fax 44-7031152804 Fax: 44-7005806069 Email:Mike_williams@continetaltrustbank.org www.cont-tbas.com/continental/index. html
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Franklin Schuurmans, 19 Apr 2006 @ 12:43pm

Again Nigeria
we are a local winery in the south of france and we received this one today:
Dear Sir/Madam,

We write to confirm reciept of a Payment Order with the Total Invoice Value of (79,500.00) of Proforma Invoice No:RR0604 Dated 04/13/ 2006.

To enable us process your Payment Order and credit payment to your nominated Bank A/C,please print and fill out the appropriate spaces of the (2)Forms: Foriegn Transfer Form/Payment Release Order Form attached herewith and submit back to us by return e-mail or Fax.

Thanks for choosing our services.

Ms. Gloria Adebajo

Transfer Operations Department
Continental Trust Bank Plc
1400 P.M.B Awolowo Way Victoria Island
Lagos.Tel/Fax:18867427411
e-mail:servicecontinentalbank@continentaltrustbankplc.net
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monique chantale NANA, 9 Jun 2006 @ 9:52am

request
je viens par la presente demander une confirmation pour l,ouverture de compte a CONTINENTALE TRUST BANK AND SECURITY (MANCHESTER UNITED KINDOM) bien vouloir me donner les conditions
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ile, 19 Sep 2008 @ 7:32am

asdfghj
wadgfhjkl
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Mar 2009 @ 10:59pm

stupid fools just everywhere you look
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Taylor Gene Simmon, 11 Aug 2012 @ 8:33pm

Pissed off so, Free Account
00644-5016-3
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