aa419 - User contributions [en]

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2026-04-10T10:47:12Z

Artists Against 419:

Contact Us

2026-04-10T10:43:21Z

Artists Against 419: Defined more precisely what should be reported. Explicitly mentioned gambling scams as a outside scope.

Before completing the contact form below, please read the following:

The Artists Against 419 specialise in identifying and closing down fake [[Advance Fee Fraud]] websites.
 Therefore, contact us ONLY:
<ul>
<li> If you want to let us know about a fake Advance Fee Fraud web site. Please include the URL so that we can check it.
<li> If you have a question about the AA419 web site or the work we do.
</ul>
Please do NOT contact us:
<ul>
<li>If you have been a victim of internet fraud. If you have lost money to an internet scammer, we cannot help you recover it. You should report this crime to the police. If you have given the scammer any financial information, such as your bank or credit card details, you should also immediately contact your bank.

<li>Should you require further help, consult a site that specializes in victim assistance. [http://scamsurvivors.com/ ScamSurvivors] is a knowledgeable, trusted consumer facing partner that can assist you. You can get ScamSurvivor's assistance by contacting them on their [http://scamsurvivors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=35261 forum].

<li>If you want our help to "trace" a scammer. We cannot investigate individual cases of internet fraud.

<li>If you have received a scam email. There are literally thousands of these in circulation. We can do nothing to stop them. They always come from free email accounts, such as Yahoo or Hotmail. They are registered with fake names and addresses, and are, therefore, impossible to trace. Don't reply to it, just delete it.

<li>If you want to ask us if the email telling you that you have won a lottery is real. These emails are NEVER real. To win a lottery, you must first buy a ticket. There are no exceptions to this.

<li>If you want to ask us whether the person who has contacted you and wants to give you a share of their millions of dollars is genuine. These offers are NEVER real. Neither are the "barristers", "lawyers" and "accountants" that this person will claim to put you in touch with.
</ul>

DO NOT CONTACT US TO ASK WHETHER A COMPANY LISTED IN OUR FAKE SITES DATABASE IS REALLY FAKE. THEY ARE. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE IN OUR DATABASE. If you have questions about sites in the database, then [http://forum.aa419.org/search.php go to our discussion forum] and talk about it there.

And finally, please understand that your message will be received by humans. The Artists Against 419 is run solely by volunteers who give up their spare time willingly and for no reward other than to help the fight against internet fraud. So, if you're asking us something and would like to receive a reply, endeavour to use the word "please", and attempt to maintain at least a minimum of politeness. Otherwise your message is likely to be ignored. Thank you!

'''General Spam:''' We are not a business, we do not sell anything. Any form of commercial solicitation via this contact form will be considered abuse and treated as allowed for in our [[Privacy Policy]] which may include blacklisting, public naming and shaming, also full sharing of such information with anti-abuse groups such as [https://www.stopforumspam.com/ Stop Forum Spam].

'''Lawyers:''' Please do not drag us into disputes between your clients and consumers. You are most welcome to report online fraud to us, not parties critiquing your clients.

'''Malware:''' Please do not report malware to us. Our goal is to mitigate [[Advance Fee Fraud]].

'''Gambling scams:''' Please do not report these to us. Much as we appreciate you wishing to alert other parties to them, they are outside our field of expertise and we simply do not have the resources to address them. Our goal is to mitigate [[Advance Fee Fraud]].

{{Special:Contact}}

[[Privacy Policy]]

Advance Fee Fraud

2026-04-10T10:27:56Z

Artists Against 419: /* Cameroonian Non-Delivery Fraud */

== Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud aka 419 ==

Advance Fee Fraud has been around, in various forms, for centuries. The basic technique is to convince a victim that they are going to receive a large reward in return for little or no effort on their part. Once the victim is 'hooked', the fraudster(s) will gradually reveal various fees that must be paid before the victim can access the fortune that they believe is waiting for them. These fees may be in the form of bribes to officials, duties, taxes, account fees, etc. As each charge is paid by the unsuspecting victim, a new fee arises. Naturally, there is never any reward, and this process continues until the victim realises what is happening, or simply runs out of money.

In modern times this form of fraud has become a major 'industry' in Nigeria, so much so that it is now commonly referred to as "Nigerian Fraud", even when perpetrated by citizens of other countries. Another common name is "419 fraud" after Section 419 of the Nigerian Penal code, the section that specifically prohibits this type of crime. Whereas they originally sent handwritten letters with forged postage stamps, they now make use of the Internet to reach their victims.

This type of fraud is carried out in a number of different ways. One very common scheme is to convince a victim that the criminal has a very large amount of money trapped in a bank or security company, and for some reason cannot retrieve it. The victim is promised a large percentage of the fortune in return for essentially 'laundering' the money through their own bank account. This is an important feature of the scam: the victim is lured into agreeing to an unlawful enterprise, so that they will feel reluctant later to contact the authorities.

These scams have evolved into online romance scams where the actors lure victims into a fake online romance, while after a period of grooming, convince the victim to pay monies to them upon some pretext. Miltary romance scams falls into this grouping. These scams are also often accompanied by investment scams where victims are encouraged to invest there savings into bogus investment schemes.

The criminals operating these schemes often try to encourage the victim to travel to meet them in a foreign country; sometimes Nigeria or a neighbouring country, but often European cities such as Amsterdam or Madrid. Once again, the intention in getting the victim away from their home is to make them feel vulnerable, and reluctant to contact the police. In rare instances, victims who meet with the criminals are actually threatened, kidapped, or even murdered.

=== Related links ===
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php aa419 fake site database]
*Is this a legit bank? [[Online search tools]]
*How to [[Report advance fee fraud to the Dutch authorities]]

== Cameroonian Non-Delivery Fraud ==
Cameroonian Non-Delivery Fraud is a type of online scam that originated in Cameroon and has become notorious for its deceptive sophistication. Fraudsters advertise goods online and accept payment, but never deliver these goods. Victims are typically diverted to fake couriers where the victim is defrauded further, also potentially extorted.

* '''Fake Websites''': Scammers create professional-looking websites that target the desired audience which may be businesses or general consumers. Spoofing is rife when it comes to business targeting scams, often showing stolen business credentials. Consumer level scams often show no contact details, or a disposable telephone number and an email address only.
* '''Social Media''': Scammers use search engine optimization and social media platforms to drive traffic to these sites.
* '''Product Types''':
** Pets scams are common, sometimes also endangered species like Asian Arowana, parrots or reptiles.
** Forged document scams such as drivers licences, visas, passports, IETLS and TOEFL scams are rife, often accompanied by counterfeit currency and black money scams.
** Certains scams are regional like poultry and livestocks scams targeting South Africa, or magic mushroom scams targeting Australia.
** Illicit drugs scams are common, even cocaine, heroin and/or LSD being used as bait.
** Medical supplies e.g., masks, hazmat suits, ventilators became prevalent during COVID-19 showing how adaptable these scams are.
* '''Extortion Tactics''': Victims may be blackmailed after attempting to purchase illegal items like drugs or CITES protected sepcies. Scammers impersonate law enforcement and threaten legal action unless more money is paid.
=== Related Links ===
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=pet aa419 listed pet scams]
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=drug aa419 listed drug scams]
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=blackmoney forged documents, currency and black money scams]
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=nondelivery other aa419 listed non-delivery scams]
*[https://blog.aa419.org/cameroonian-fraud-taxonomy/ non-delivery fraud taxonomy]

Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World

2025-09-17T00:23:24Z

Artists Against 419: /* Countries A - C */

Most countries have websites set up by their financial regulators that can be searched to find any regulated financial entity. If an encountered financial institution (such as a bank) is missing from the particular regulator's list for the country it is claiming to be based in, it is highly likely to be fake. However, please be careful, since it is easy to get a false negative.

Here is a list of the various financial regulators we have found at this time. There are numerous online 'lists' of banks and financial institutions available, but the accuracy or legitimacy of these are not always clear. Therefore, we have tried to only post links to actual authoritative bodies in our list. If a regulator is not on the list, or a link has changed, please make a post in this thread in the AA419 Fake Banks forum and someone will edit this page:
http://forum.aa419.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=573

Please note that this list is published here for the benefit of anyone trying to check whether a bank or financial institution is genuine or a fake being used for fraudulent purposes. It is, however, copyright and should not be copied without written permission from Artists Against 419.

(As of March, 2016 - All links are functioning unless otherwise noted)

==Countries A - C==

'''Afghanistan'''
Afghan banks are regulated by Da Afghanistan Bank the central bank of Afghanistan. A link of licensed financial institutions (in English) can be found here: http://dab.gov.af/en/page/financial-supervision/licensed-financial-institutions/banks

'''Albania'''
Regulated by the Bank of Albania, a full list of authorized banks is to be found here. http://www.bankofalbania.org/ Click on "English" and then "Banks in Albania" under "Supervision". List is currently here: https://www.bankofalbania.org/web/Commercial_Bank_Register_50_2.php

'''Algeria'''
Regulated by the Banque d'Algérie, a full list of authorized banks and financial institutions is to be found here. http://www.bank-of-algeria.dz/html/banque.htm It is in French, but fairly easy to follow.

'''Andorra'''
The Andorran financial system is, contrary to appearances, highly regulated. Several laws have been introduced to provide a solid legal framework for the system. A list of regulated banks can be found on the pages of the Institut Nacional Andorra de Finances at https://www.inaf.ad/index.php?option=com_multicategories&view=category&id=6&Itemid=76&lang=en

'''Angola'''
Angolan banks are regulated by the Banco Nacional de Angola. On the website, only the link in Portuguese works for the moment. Authorized financial institutions are listed here: http://www.bna.ao/Conteudos/Artigos/lista_artigos_medias.aspx?idc=142&idsc=834&idl=1

'''Anguilla'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.

'''Antigua & Barbuda'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.

'''Argentina'''
Regulated by the Banco Central de la República Argentina (Spanish-only) here: http://www.bcra.gob.ar . The current list can be found here: http://www.bcra.gov.ar/pdfs/comytexord/B10290.pdf

'''Armenia'''
Regulated by the Central Bank of Armenia, the full registry of banks can be found in English here https://www.cba.am/en/SitePages/fscfobanks.aspx

'''Aruba'''
This small island just off Venezuela is within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it functions independently and has its own banking regulator Centrale Bank van Aruba. The list of regulated financial institutions is here http://www.cbaruba.org/cba/getPage.do?page=SUPERVISION_LIST . For recent additions, there is a contact page easily accessible on the site. information provided by The Smiley Cancer

'''Australia'''
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) oversees banks, credit unions, building societies, general insurance and reinsurance companies, life insurance, friendly societies, and most members of the superannuation industry. Their website is http://www.apra.gov.au/adi/Pages/adilist.aspx and lists out all banks

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is responsible for consumer protection laws in financial services and products covering investments, superannuation, life insurance, general insurance and bank deposit-taking (but not lending). Its website covering investment institutions is here http://www.asic.gov.au

'''Australian Business Registration'''
http://www.abr.business.gov.au/Index.aspx contains the publicly available information provided by businesses when they register for an ABN" (Australian Business Number).

'''Austria'''
The Financial Market Authority produces regular downloadable pdf files of approved banks, insurance companies and stockbrokers which can be obtained from their website here: https://www.fma.gv.at/en/companies/banks.html

'''Azerbaijan'''
Regulated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a full list of authorized banks in English is provided here: http://en.cbar.az/lpages/links/banks-of-azerbaijan/

'''The Bahamas'''
The Central Bank of The Bahamas produces regular downloadable pdf files which can be obtained from their website here http://www.centralbankbahamas.com Unless an institution is brand new it should be there. It also lists fake sites known to it here http://www.centralbankbahamas.com/legal_notices.lasso This may be useful for inclusion in a kill letter.

However this unofficial site lists on-line all the banks operating in the Bahamas http://www.geographia.com/bahamas/investment/bankng01.htm and is easier to use. information provided by The Smily Cancer and Swamismurf.

'''Bahrain'''
Regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain, a full list of authorized banks is to be found here: http://www.cbb.gov.bh/iis/register

'''Bangladesh'''
The central bank is Bangladesh Bank, which supervises and regulates all other banks in the country. The list of legal banks is here: https://www.bb.org.bd/links/links.php

'''Barbados'''
The Central Bank of Barbados provides a list of licensed financial institutions which can be obtained from their website here: http://www.centralbank.org.bb/banking-supervision/licensed-financial-institutions

'''Belarus'''
The regulatory authority for banks in Belarus is the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.
Their website (in English) is here:- http://www.nbrb.by/engl/ Details of all authorized banks are on the website here:- http://www.nbrb.by/engl/system/banks.asp

'''Belgium'''
The Financial Services and Markets Authority regulates banks. It has a website in English, but the list of banks here http://www.fsma.be/nl/Site/Repository/lijsten/ki1.aspx is in Dutch.

'''Belize'''
Lists and warning notices are provided by the Central bank of Belize here http://www.centralbank.org.bz/ There is also a list of warnings about companies not registered to do financial work here http://www.ifsc.gov.bz/ information provided by aarrdvark and Nap Oleon

'''Benin'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Banks in Benin (in French) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Benin-2330.html

'''Bermuda'''
The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is responsible for regulation:
http://www.bma.bm They have an online list of Licensed Entities here: http://www.bma.bm/banking/SitePages/Licensed%20Entities.aspx
There is also a warning list with non-licensed companies and banks who claim to be in Bermuda: http://www.bma.bm/SitePages/warning-list.aspx

'''Bhutan'''
The Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan is responsible for regulation: http://www.rma.org.bt At the bottom of the page, five financial institutions are currently listed:
* Bank of Bhutan - http://www.bob.bt
* Bhutan National Bank Ltd - http://www.bnb.bt
* Druk PNB Bank Ltd - http://www.drukpnbbank.bt
* Bhutan Development Bank Ltd - http://www.bdb.bt
* T Bank - http://www.tbank.bt

'''Bolivia'''
Banks are regulated by the Autoridad de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero. Lists of authorized financial institutions can be found here (in Spanish): https://www.asfi.gob.bo/EntidadesFinancieras/%C3%81mbitodeSupervisi%C3%B3n/ConLicenciadeFuncionamiento.aspx

'''Bosnia & Herzegovina'''
Banks in Bosnia & Herzegovina are regulated by the Centralna Banka Bosne I Hercegovine. See here for a link (in English) of banks operating in BH: http://www.cbbh.ba/index.php?id=7&lang=en

'''Botswana'''
Bank of Botswana is responsible for the regulation of financial institutions in Botswana. A list of commercial banks licensed to conduct business in Botswana can be found here: http://www.bankofbotswana.bw/content/2009103015021-banks

'''Brasil'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Banco Central do Brasil. While their website does not currently post a complete list of authorized banks, a list of supervised foreign institutions can be downloaded here: http://www.bcb.gov.br/en/#!/n/SUPERVINSTIT There are various reports available here regarding information on supervised banks (including Brazilian banks): https://www3.bcb.gov.br/informes/relatorios?lingua=en Additionally, it may be helpful to check with the BM&F Bovespa (stock exchange) which provides a member search here: http://www.bmfbovespa.com.br/en_us/services/membership/member-search/

'''British Virgin Islands'''
The British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (FSC) is responsible for the regulation, supervision and inspection of all financial services in and from within the BVI. Such services include insurance, banking, trustee business, company management, mutual funds business as well as the registration of companies, limited partnerships, intellectual property and ships. (So you can spot fake boats in addition to fake banks!)

Their site can be found here: http://www.bvifsc.vg and their list of regulated entities here: http://www.bvifsc.vg/en-gb/regulatedentities.aspx

'''Brunei Darussalam'''
Banks in Brunei are regulated by the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam. A financial institutions directory is here: http://www.ambd.gov.bn/regulatory/financial-institutions-directory

'''Bulgaria'''
Bulgarian Banks are regulated by The Bulgarian National Bank. The list of licensed banks in Bulgaria can be found (in English) here: http://www.bnb.bg/BankSupervision/BSCreditInstitution/BSCIRegistrers/BS_CI_REG_BANKSLIST_EN

'''Burkina Faso'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Banks in Burkina Faso (in English) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Burkina,2331.html

'''Burundi'''
The Banque de la République du Burundi is responsible for bank regulation in Burundi. A list of financial institutions can be found here (in French): http://www.brb.bi/fr/content/syst%C3%A8me-financier-burundais

'''Cabo Verde Islands'''
In the Cape Verde Islands, the banks are regulated by the Banco Central de Cabo Verde. Authorized financial institutions are listed here: http://www.bcv.cv/vEN/supervision/informationonfinancialinstitutions/Paginas/EnderecosFAQs.aspx

'''Cambodia'''
Cambodian banks are regulated by the National Bank of Cambodia. A list of commercial banks (in English) is here: http://www.nbc.org.kh/english/supervision/commercial_banks.php

'''Cameroun'''
In the countries comprising the old French Central Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centale. The website of BEAC is not as advanced as that of BCEAO and is only in French https://www.beac.int/index.php/supervision-bancaire/lexique-des-banques-de-la-cemac . For a complete list of banks in Cameroun go to https://www.beac.int/download/Liste_Banques_Cam_28oct2014.pdf

'''Canada'''
Regulated by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and they are listed on this website: http://www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca/Eng/wt-ow/Pages/wwr-er.aspx?sc=1&gc=1#WWRLink11

'''Cayman Islands'''
In the Cayman Islands all financial institutions should be registered with the Monetary Authority which puts out regular bulletins on known fake bank websites. Their website is here http://www.cimoney.com.ky

'''Centrafrique'''
In the countries comprising the old French Central Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centale. The website of BEAC is not as advanced as that of BCEAO and is only in French https://www.beac.int/index.php/supervision-bancaire/lexique-des-banques-de-la-cemac . For a complete list of banks in Centrafrique go to https://www.beac.int/download/Liste_Banques_%20RCA%20_28oct14.pdf

'''Chad'''
See under Tschad

'''Channel Islands'''
Any banks operating out of the Channel Islands are either regulated by the Guernsey or the Jersey Authorities. See under these 2 countries.

'''Chile'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Superintendencia de Bancos e Instituciones Financieras Chile. A list of authorized financial institutions can be found here: http://www.sbif.cl/sbifweb/servlet/ConozcaSBIF?indice=7.5.1.1&idContenido=483

'''China (Peoples Republic of)'''
Be aware that the central bank of the Peoples Republic is The Peoples Bank of China. The Central Bank of China is the central bank of Taiwan

The People's Bank of China is responsible for the implementation of numerous regulations concerning the operation and risk-management of banking institutions. They are also responsible for supervising and monitoring the operations and balance sheets of all financial institutions in China. Their main website is http://www.pbc.gov.cn/english/130437/index.html

There is now what appears to be a full list of domestic banks here http://www.cbrc.gov.cn/showindexlinks.do?s=dbi and most of the entries are links to the bank's own websites. However, unless you read Chinese, you may have problems, but most of these Chinese Language only banks are strictly local. The major ones all seem to have English Pages to allow non-Chinese Speakers to check out the details.

It is important to note that just because the bank exists, if you are unable to establish the address and telephone number from official sources, you should not assume that the other side is legitimate. Until you are able to establish the bona fides of the bank through an independent third party, treat the other party with extreme suspicion and do not rely on any information provided by them.

* Savings Banks 
**China has only two major savings banks 
***Yantai Housing Savings Bank 
***Bengbu Housing Savings Bank 
**both of which focus specifically on facilitating the ongoing reforms in the housing market. The principal business activities of the banks include raising funds for home construction and promoting housing reform by providing low-interest mortgage financing for individuals in their respective cities. They bear some resemblance to Western-style building societies, though China still lacks a formal or legal structure for such organizations.

*f) Joint-venture Banks 
**As of early 1995, about 30 joint-venture banks were operating in China. These banks are principally involved in providing merchant and investment banking services and trade finance for the non-State sector Joint-venture banks which include 
***Xiamen International Bank, established in 1985;
***Tai Hwa International Bank, a Sino-Thai venture; and
***China International Capital Corp. (CICC), a joint venture between Morgan Stanley Group Inc. and the China Construction Bank 
** These are helping to transfer international banking practices to China.

*g) Foreign Banks 
**24 cities in China are open to foreign banks and their branches, though the vast majority of these banks are concentrated in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. As of year-end 1995, there were more than 100 foreign bank branches operating in China, including Citibank Corp., Bank of America, Bank of Tokyo, Sanwa Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corp.

**Japanese banks have been especially aggressive in China, and have established more financial institutions in China than have Hong Kong and US banks combined. Many of these banks, however, are now facing serious loan repayment problems.

**Representative Offices are restricted to non-profit activities such as providing financial advice, consultancy and negotiating services, as well as market research for foreign companies. They are forbidden to discount commercial bills or confirm letters of credit. Representative offices cannot initiate business, but can follow up on loans and L/Cs issued at licensed branches.

IMPORTANT: You should report your fake bank to CBRC first
English version seems to be major banks only. Main list is in Chinese version of website. There are 1000s of local banks and co-operatives listed.

'''Colombia'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia. A list of authorized institutions (in English) is downloadable here: https://en.superfinanciera.gov.co/jsp/loader.jsf?lServicio=Publicaciones&lTipo=publicaciones&lFuncion=loadContenidoPublicacion&id=10061694

'''Comores Islands (Comores Union)'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Banque Centrale des Comores. A list of authorized banks and establishments can now be found here: http://www.banque-comores.km/index.php?pg=etablissements-de-credit

'''Congo (Brazzaville)'''
Do not confuse this country with the Republique Democratique du Congo below which was originally a Belgian Colony!!

In the countries comprising the old French Central Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centale. The website of BEAC is not as advanced as that of BCEAO and is only in French https://www.beac.int/index.php/supervision-bancaire/lexique-des-banques-de-la-cemac . For a complete list of banks in Congo go to https://www.beac.int/download/Liste_Banques_%20Congo_28oct2014.pdf

'''Republique Democratique du Congo'''
Do not confuse this country which is the old Belgian Congo with the old French Colony above. This country is not part of BEAC.

It is regulated by the Banque Centrale du Congo http://www.bcc.cd . The website is in French, however they have a list of licensed banks available here: http://www.bcc.cd/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=74

'''Cook Islands'''
Banks in the Cook Islands are regulated by the Financial Supervisory Commission. A list of authorized banks can be found here: https://www.fsc.gov.ck/cookIslandsFscApp/content/business-contacts/banks

'''Costa Rica'''
The Banco Central de Costa Rica is the regulator of financial entities in Costa Rica. Included in the links provided here are the authorized banks and financial institutions: http://www.bccr.fi.cr/bccr_home_page/links_of_interest/

'''Cote d'Ivoire'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Banks in Ivory Coast (in French) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Cote-d-Ivoire-2333.html

'''Croatia'''
Croatian Banks are regulated by the Hrvatska Udruga Banaka. Authorized banks (in English) are listed on their website here: http://www.hub.hr/en/list-banks-operating-republic-croatia

'''Cuba'''
Regulated by the Banco Central de Cuba. Its website with a list of all authorized financial institutions (in English) is here: http://www.bc.gob.cu/english/fin_institutions.asp

'''Cyprus'''
Regulated by the Central Bank of Cyprus and a full list of authorized institutions is to be found here: https://www.centralbank.cy/en/licensing-supervision/banks/register-of-credit-institutions-operating-in-cyprus

'''Cyprus, Northern'''
Northern Cyprus is under the control of Turkey and the bank regulator (and list of authorized institutions in English) is to be found here: http://www.bddk.org.tr/WebSitesi/english/Institutions/Institutions.aspx

'''Czech Republic'''
Regulated by the Czech National Bank, the full lists of authorized institutions can be found here: http://www.cnb.cz/en/supervision_financial_market/lists_registers/

==Countries D - G==

'''Denmark'''
Regulated by the the Danish FSA, this page (in English) gives all the regulated areas: https://www.finanstilsynet.dk/en/Tal-og-fakta/Virksomheder-under-tilsyn/VUT-database.aspx

'''Djibouti'''
The Banque Centrale de Djibouti is responsible for bank regulation in Djibouti. A list (French only) can be found here: http://www.banque-centrale.dj/rubriques/18

'''Dominica'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp

The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.

'''La República Dominicana'''
The Superintendencia de Bancos de la República Dominicana regulates financial institutions. A list of authorized entities (in Spanish) can be found here: http://www.sib.gob.do/entidades

'''Ecuador'''
The Superintendencia de Bancos del Ecuador regulates financial institutions. Various lists of authorized financial institutions can be downloaded here: http://www.superbancos.gob.ec/practg/sbs_index?vp_art_id=19&vp_tip=2

'''Egypt'''
Regulated by the the Central Bank of Egypt, the full list of authorized institutions is found here: http://www.cbe.org.eg/English/Banking+Supervision/Licensing+Lists/

'''El Salvador'''
Financial institutions in El Salvador are regulated by la Superintendencia del Sistema Financiero. There is a list (Spanish Only) of authorized institutions here: http://www.ssf.gob.sv/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=283&Itemid=243

'''Estonia'''
Regulated by the the Estonian FSA, the full list of authorized institutions is found here http://www.fi.ee/?id=593

'''Ethiopia'''
Ethiopian banks are regulated by the National Bank of Ethiopia. A list of authorized banks is found here: http://www.nbe.gov.et/financial/banks.html Micro finance banks here: http://www.nbe.gov.et/financial/microfinanceinstitutes.html

'''Fiji'''
Regulated by the the Reserve Bank of Fiji, the full list of authorized institutions is found here: http://www.rbf.gov.fj/Left-Menu/Regulatory-Framework/Licensed-Institutions.aspx

'''Finland'''
Regulated by the the Finnish FSA, the full list of authorized entities can be searched or viewed in its entirety here: http://www.fin-fsa.fi/en/About_us/Supervised/Pages/supervisedentities.aspx

'''France'''
Regulated by the Banque de France, the full list of authorized banks and financial services providers can be found here: http://acpr.banque-france.fr/en/licences-and-authorisations/registers-and-lists/regafi-and-list-of-banks-and-financial-services-providers.html

Reunion, Mayotte, Guadelope are also regulated by Banque de France. This is also true for some of the other obscure, tiny ex colonies (and offshore centers) that dot the pacific that seem to be missing links to central banks. They are usually regulated by the central bank of its particular colonial power with thanks to malleus

'''Gabón'''
In the countries comprising the old French Central Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centale. The website of BEAC is not as advanced as that of BCEAO and is only in French https://www.beac.int/index.php/supervision-bancaire/lexique-des-banques-de-la-cemac . For a complete list of banks in Gabón go to https://www.beac.int/download/Liste_Banques_Gab_28oct2014.pdf

'''The Gambia'''
Gambian banks are regulated by the Central Bank of The Gambia. A list of authorized commercial banks can be found here: http://www.cbg.gm/finance_systems/banking.html

'''Georgia'''
Regulated by the National Bank of Georgia here: https://www.nbg.gov.ge This may not be a complete list of financial institutions in Georgia, but there is a list (in English) provided for banks participating in Georgia's Real Time Gross Settlement System. List can be found here: https://www.nbg.gov.ge/index.php?m=600&lng=eng

'''Germany'''
Now regulation is shared by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and by the Deutsche Bundesbank, there is a search faclity for all regulated banks, financial institutions and Insurance companies (in German) here: https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/sucheForm.do?sucheButtonInstitut=Suche&RAP=-1dbcc871%3A1533d076c77%3A-1b07

'''Ghana'''
The Bank of Ghana regulates all banks operating in the country. A list of licensed banks can be downloaded here: https://www.bog.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=124

'''Gibraltar'''
Regulated by the the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission the list of regulated banks and institutions. Looks like the government website is very good- may well be able to find other businesses as well.
The site is here: http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi . This leads to the Gibraltar Bankers Association website, which lists authorized banks here: http://www.gba.gi/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=14&Itemid=106

'''Greece'''
Regulated by the the Bank of Greece, the full list of authorized institutions can be found here: http://www.bankofgreece.gr/Pages/en/Supervision/SupervisedInstitutions/default.aspx

'''Grenada'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.

'''Guatemala'''
Banks in Guatemala are regulated by the Banco de Guatemala. They provide a list of nationally recognized Guatemalan banks (Spanish only) here: http://www.banguat.gob.gt/inc/main.asp?id=1853&aud=1&lang=1

'''Guernsey'''
The Financial Services Commission is responsible for regulating banks, Insurance and Investment Companies which are listed on this website http://www.gfsc.gg/ 
If a financial institution is not on the list, it is either very recent (in which case e-mail the commission for confirmation) or it is a fake. NB branches also have to be regulated, so if the bank purports to have a Guernsey Office, it should be on the list.

'''Guinée Bissau'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Banks in Guinée Bissau (in French) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Guinee-Bissau,2332.html

'''Guinée Equitoriale'''
In the countries comprising the old French Central Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centale. The website of BEAC is not as advanced as that of BCEAO and is only in French https://www.beac.int/index.php/supervision-bancaire/lexique-des-banques-de-la-cemac . For a complete list of banks in Guinée Equitoriale go to https://www.beac.int/download/Liste_Banques_Guin_28oct2014.pdf

'''Guyana'''
Guyanese banks are regulated by the Bank of Guyana. They provide a list of authorized commercial banks and branches here: https://www.bankofguyana.org.gy/bog/supervised-institutions/list-of-commercial-banks

==Countries H -M==

'''Haïti'''
Haitian banks are regulated by the Banque de la République d'Haïti. A list of authorized banks operating in Haiti (French only) can be found here: http://www.brh.net/liste_banques.html

'''Honduras'''
Banks are regulated by the Comisión Nacional de Bancos y Seguros. A list of authorized financial institutions can be found here: http://www.cnbs.gob.hn/index.php/estados-financieros-auditados-de-las-instituciones-menu/140-estados-financieros-auditados-de-las-instituciones

'''Hong Kong'''
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is responsible for regulation and all authorized institutions - there site here: http://www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/ They don't have an easily-accessible list of authorized banks at present, but they do have a list (which they update regularly) of fraudulent websites here: http://www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/other-information/fraudulent-bank-websites.shtml
The Hong Kong Association of Banks provides a list of member banks which should suffice as a reference for checking if a bank is legitimate or not: http://www.hkab.org.hk/DisplayMemberAction.do?sectionid=4&subsectionid=0

'''Hungary'''
Regulated by the the Magyar Nemzeti Bank, the full list of authorized institutions is found here: http://www.mnb.hu/en/supervision/licensing-and-institution-oversight/market-participants/search-of-market-participants

'''Iceland'''
Regulated by the the Icelandic FSA, the full list of authorized institutions is found here: http://en.fme.is/supervision/supervised-entities/

'''India'''
Regulated by the the Reserve Bank of India, the full list of authorized institutions is found here https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/banklinks.aspx

'''Indonesia'''
Regulated by the the Central Bank of Indonesia here: http://www.bi.go.id/en/ There does not appear to be an easily-accessible list of authorized financial institutions posted at this time.

'''Iran'''
Regulated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran - English home page here: http://www.cbi.ir/default_en.aspx
List of authorized banks and credit institutions: http://www.cbi.ir/simplelist/1462.aspx

'''Iraq'''
Regulated by the Central Bank of Iraq, official website at: http://www.cbiraq.org (There does not currently appear to be an easily-accessible list of authorized institutions posted. Coalition Provisional Authority has a list at: http://www.iraqcoalition.org/economy/iraq_private_banks.html

'''Ireland (Eire)'''
Regulation duties are shared by the the Central Bank of Ireland and the European Central Bank. Links to authorized institutions can be found here: http://www.centralbank.ie/regulation/industry-sectors/credit-institutions/Pages/default.aspx Currently, page 7 at this link lists the "significant supervised entities" in Ireland: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/other/ssm-listofsupervisedentities1409en.pdf?59d76de0c5663687f594250ebf228c6b
Note that NB Eire (Southern Ireland) is an independent country whereas Northern Ireland (Ulster) is governed the UK - see under United Kingdom.

'''Companies'''
All Eire companies have to be registered at the Companies Registration Office and whilst consulting the details of each company requires a payment, certain information such as the company name, registered address, activities, date of incorporation and accounting dates are available on line for free at this website. http://www.cro.ie/search/ information provided by Bog

'''Isle of Man'''
The Isle of Man Financial Supervision Authority is responsible for regulating Banking, Investment and other Corporate Service Providers Business on the Isle of Man. There is a search function on their website here: http://www.iomfsa.im/licenceholders/?menuid=25486&status=current

'''Companies'''
The Isle of Man Government website also has a Companies Registry search which can be found here: https://services.gov.im/companies-registry/

'''Israel'''
Banks in Israel are under the control of the Bank of Israel. A list of authorized banks and branches can be found here: http://www.boi.org.il/en/BankingSupervision/BanksAndBranchLocations/Pages/Default.aspx

'''Italy'''
The Bank of Italy regulates financial institutions in Italy. The part of the site responsible for regulating banks is here: https://infostat.bancaditalia.it/giava-inquiry-public/flex/Giava/GIAVAFEInquiry.html#
Click on the English option, and then you will have tabs at the top for "Intermediaries", "Groups", and "Branches" which each provide search options.
Every legitimate Italian Bank should be a member of the Associazione Bancaria Italiana - http://www.abi.it/Pagine/default.aspx Currently it appears to only have an Italian language option.

'''Ivory Coast'''
See under Cote d'Ivoire

'''Jamaica'''
Jamaican banks are regulated by the Bank of Jamaica. A current list of authorized commercial banks operating in Jamaica can be found here: http://boj.org.jm/financial_sys/commercialbanks.php

'''Japan'''
Regulated by the the Japanese FSA, the full list of authorized institutions can be searched or downloaded in pdf format from here http://www.fsa.go.jp/en/regulated/licensed/index.html and it is now all readable in English information provided by Bunko

'''Jersey'''
The Financial Services Commission is responsible for regulating banks which are listed under Regulated Entities on this website http://www.jerseyfsc.org/ If a bank is not on it it is a fake. NB branches also have to be regulated, so if the bank purports to have a Jersey Office, it should be on the list.

aarrdvark adds "I ran across this site for the Jersey Bankers Association. http://jerseybankersassociation.com. This is a membership organization, but the site gives useful e-mail addresses for senior bankers on the Island."

'''Jordan'''
Regulated by the the Central Bank of Jordan, the full list of authorized banks is here: http://www.cbj.gov.jo/pages.php?menu_id=34&local_type=0&local_id=0&local_details=0&local_details1=0&localsite_branchname=CBJ
The bank also maintains a list of money exchangers. Current list is here: http://www.cbj.gov.jo/uploads/Exch_Dir_Nov2015_En.pdf

'''Kazakhstan'''
Banks are regulated by the National Bank of Kazakhstan. A list of institutions authorized to conduct banking and other financial operations can be downloaded here: http://www.afn.kz/?switch=eng&docid=480

'''Kenya'''
The Central Bank of Kenya regulates financial institutions in Kenya. A list of authorized commercial banks can be found here: https://www.centralbank.go.ke/index.php/bank-supervision/commercial-banks-mortgage-finance-institutions Micro finance institutions are listed here: https://www.centralbank.go.ke/index.php/microfinance-institutions

'''Kiribati'''
Kiribati has no central bank or national currency. The only commercial banks are the Bank of Kiribati Limited (no website) and ANZ. For more information see: https://www.anz.com/kiribati/en/about-us/anz-in-kiribati/country-information/

'''Korea (North)'''
The Central Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the authoritative body, but it has no website. Any banking website encountered which claims to be based in North Korea should be treated as highly suspicious.

'''Korea (South)'''
The Korean Financial Supervisory Service regulates banks and other financial institutions. A list (in English) of authorized banks and financial institutions can be found here: http://english.fss.or.kr/fss/eng/wpge/eng211.jsp

'''Kosovo'''
Banks are regulated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo - website here: http://bqk-kos.org/?id=1 They currently do not appear to have a list of authorized institutions.

'''Kuwait'''
Banks operating in Kuwait are regulated by the Central Bank of Kuwait. Their website lists (in English) authorized Kuwaiti banks here: http://www.cbk.gov.kw/en/supervision/financial-units/kuwaiti-banks.jsp Authorized foreign banks here: http://www.cbk.gov.kw/en/supervision/financial-units/foreign-banks.jsp

'''Kyrgyzstan'''
Banks are regulated by the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic. The list of regulated banks is to be found (in English) here: http://www.nbkr.kg/index1.jsp?item=69&lang=ENG

'''Laos'''
Banks in Laos are regulated by the Bank of the Lao P.D.R. Authorized banks in Laos are listed (in English) here: http://www.bol.gov.la/english/other_banks.html

'''Latvia'''
Regulated by the the Latvian Securities Market Commission, the full list of authorized institutions can be found here http://www.fktk.lv/en/

'''Lebanon'''
Banks in Lebanon are regulated by the Banque du Liban. A complete list of authorized banks can be downloaded here: http://www.bdl.gov.lb/downloads/index/4/248/Banks.html

'''Lesotho'''
Banks in Lesotho are regulated by the Central Bank of Lesotho. A list of banks operating in the country is here: http://www.centralbank.org.ls/supervision/default.php

'''Liberia'''
The Central Bank of Liberia is responsible for bank regulation. Commercial banks operating in Liberia can be found here: http://www.cbl.org.lr/doc/superdoc/commercialbanksadd.pdf

'''Libya'''
In Libya, banks are regulated by the Central Bank of Libya. A list of authorized commercial banks can be found here: http://cbl.gov.ly/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=264&Itemid=167

'''Liechtenstein'''
Financial Institutions are regulated by Financial Market Authority and the lists of approved institutions are to be found (in English) here: https://www.fma-li.li/en/financial-centre/financial-market-participants.html

'''Lithuania'''
Regulated by the the Bank of Lithuania, the full list of authorized banks is to be found here: http://www.lb.lt/banks

'''Luxembourg''' In common with most European Banking Centers, Luxembourg has tight financial regulations which are administered by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier. Currently registered banks and financial institutions (in English) are searchable here: http://supervisedentities.cssf.lu/index.html?language=en&type=BNK#AdvancedSearch

'''Macau'''
All banks operating here must be registered with the Monetary Authority of Macau. Their website is here: http://www.amcm.gov.mo The main authorized institutions list (in English) can be found here: http://www.amcm.gov.mo/en/banking-sector/institutions-list

'''Macedonia'''
Regulated by the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia. List of banks (and their websites) can be found here: http://www.nbrm.mk/default.asp?ItemID=73C123A25B3BE546BAB84EC620D02AD0

'''Madagascar'''
Banks in Madagascar are regulated by the Banky Foiben'i Madagasikara. Current list of operating banks (French only) is here: http://www.banque-centrale.mg/index.php?id=m8_4_2

'''Malawi'''
Banks are regulated by the Reserve Bank of Malawi. The current list of authorized banks and financial institutions can be found here: http://www.rbm.mw/Supervision/BankSupervision?activeTab=BASURegisteredBanks

'''Malaysia'''
Malaysia has a central Bank (The Bank Negara) which is responsible for supervising all the Malaysian banks, Their website is to be found here http://www.bnm.gov.my/index.php?ch=13&cat=banking information provided by malleus

'''Maldives'''
Financial institutions in the Maldives are regulated by the Maldives Monetary Authority. A current list of licensed banks can be found here: http://www.mma.gov.mv/banking/bankregister.pdf

'''Mali'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Banks in Mali (in French) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Mali-2334.html

'''Malta'''
In common with most offshore banking centers, Malta has tight financial regulations which are administered by the Maltese Financial Services Authority. Authorized banks and financial institutions can be searched for here: http://www.mfsa.com.mt/pages/licenceholders.aspx NB branches also have to be regulated, so if the bank purports to have a Maltese Office, it should be listed.

'''Marshall Islands'''
The only authorized banks in the Marshall Islands are the Bank of Marshall Islands (website here: http://www.bomi.biz ) and the Majuro branch of the Bank of Guam (website here: http://www.bankofguam.com/locations.html#rmi )

'''Mauritania'''
Banks are regulated by Banque Centrale de Mauritanie. A list of authorized banks (French only) can be found on their website here: http://www.bcm.mr/Supervision%20bancaire%20et%20financi%C3%A8re/Aper%C3%A7u%20sur%20le%20secteur%20bancaire%20Mauritanien/Pages/default.aspx

'''Mauritius (and Rodrigues)'''
Banks in Mauritius are regulated by the Bank of Mauritius. A downloadable list of authorized banks is available here: http://www.bom.mu/?id=60007 Many other financial institutions - stock brokers, insurance companies, investment companies, etc. are regulated by the Mauritius Financial Services Commission - website here: http://www.fscmauritius.org

'''Mexico'''
Banks in Mexico are regulated by the Banco de Mexico, the country's central bank. Their website can be found here: http://www.banxico.org.mx While there is a lot of information (in English as well), there does not appear to be an easily-accessible list of authorized financial institutions at present.

'''Federated States of Micronesia'''
The FSM is a sovereign nation and also a United States associated state. Therefore, banks are insured by the FDIC and can be found by searching here: https://research.fdic.gov/bankfind/results.html?name=&fdic=&address=&city=&state=FM&zip= At present, the only two authorized banks in Micronesia are The Bank of the Federated States of Micronesia (no website) and the Bank of Guam - website here: http://www.bankofguam.com/locations.html#fsm

'''Moldova'''
Banks in Moldova a regulated by the National Bank of Moldova. A list of authorized banks (in English) can be found here: http://www.bnm.org/en/content/authorized-banks-republic-moldova?open=all_banks

'''Monaco'''
Financial institutions in Monaco are regulated by Commission for the Control of Financial Activities (CCAF). A list of accredited entities can be found here: http://www.ccaf.mc/en/the-ccaf-in-one-click/fund-entity-and-approved

'''Mongolia'''
Bank of Mongolia is the central bank which regulates banking for the countries. A list of authorized banks can be found at the bottom of the page here: https://www.mongolbank.mn/eng/aboutus.aspx?id=1

'''Montenegro'''
The Centralna Banka Crne Gore (Central Bank of Montenegro) is responsible for bank supervision. A list of authorized banks (in English) can be found here: http://www.cb-mn.org/eng/index.php?mn1=bank_supervision&mn2=banking_system&mn3=licensed_banks

'''Montserrat'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.
Additionally, the Financial Services Commission Montserrat has lists of regulated entities here: http://www.fscmontserrat.org/regulated-entities/international-offshore-banking/

'''Morocco'''
Bank Al-Maghrib is responsible for regulating banks in Morocco - see: http://www.bkam.ma Current list of financial institutions is listed here in English: http://www.bkam.ma/wps/portal/net/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKL94o3CvQHSZnFe8QbebvqR2KIuSDEfD3yc1P1g1Lz9L31A_QLckMjyh0dFQEkMNaC/delta/base64xml/L0lDU0NUTzdvSko3dWFDU1lKQ2dwUkNncFJBISEvWUNVRUFBQUlJQ0lBQU1NTU1NTU1LS01NTUtNTUdHTUlPQkpCSk9CRk5GTk9GQSEhLzRKRmlDT3NUbEU2Q3VBMkp5aWRCWGZyQ0Zac09ZYmhIWWNvM0dJQSEvN19JXzlMRy8xL3NwZl9BY3Rpb25OYW1lL3NwZl9BY3Rpb25MaXN0ZW5lci9zcGZfc3RydXRzQWN0aW9uLyEyZkxpc3RlRXRhYkNyZWRpdFNlYXJjaCEyZk1hbmFnZS5kbyEzZmNydWQ9cHJlbG9hZA!!#7_I_9LG And here in French: http://www.bkam.ma/wps/portal/net/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKL94o3CvQHSZnFe8QbebvqR2KIuSDEfD3yc1P1g1LzgLKR5vGe8ZY-7voh-t76AfoFuaER5X4mjgD3amzK/delta/base64xml/L0lKWWttUSEhL3dITUFLc0FFVUFOby80SUVhREFBIS9mcg!!?Lien=V

'''Mozambique'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Banco de Moçambique. A list can be found (in English) here: http://www.bancomoc.mz/fm_instituicoes.aspx The previous link is correct, however when checking it sometimes gives an error because of how the website is set up. To find the list, go to http://www.bancomoc.mz and under the 'Supervision' tab, select 'Banking System'.

'''Myanmar (Burma)'''
The Central Bank of Myanmar regulates banks in Myanmar. List of state-owned banks is here: http://www.cbm.gov.mm/content/state-owned-banks List of foreign banks operating in Myanmar is here: http://www.cbm.gov.mm/content/1228

==Countries N - S==

'''Namibia'''
Banks in Namibia are regulated by the Bank of Namibia. A list of authorized banking institutions can be found here: https://www.bon.com.na/Bank/Banking-Supervision/The-Banking-System-in-Namibia.aspx

'''Nauru'''
Information on banking in Nauru is very limited as the country currently rebuilding its banking system. In theory, the Bank of Nauru is the central bank, but it does not have a website. Any bank websites encountered which claim to be based in Nauru should be treated with suspicion. Here is a link to the country's government website: http://www.naurugov.nr

'''The Netherlands'''
The Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank) is the regulator for financial institutions in Holland. A listing as well as search of authorized institutions is available here: http://www.dnb.nl/en/supervision/consumer-and-supervision/registers/WFTKF/index.jsp

'''Any Corporate Entity''' The Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel, KvK) lists all Dutch companies in its trade register and gives their addresses and their KvK-number. Their website has a section in English here: http://www.kvk.nl/english/

'''Caribbean Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles)'''
The Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank) is the regulator for financial institutions in Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius (Statia), and Sint Maarten. A list of authorized financial institutions can be downloaded here: http://www.cn.dnb.nl/en/supervision/supervision_of_money_transactions_offices/registers

'''Nepal'''
Banks in Nepal are regulated by Nepal Rastra Bank here: http://nrb.org.np The current list of list of banks and financial institutions can be found here: http://nrb.org.np/bfr/pdffiles/List_of_BFIs_Jan_2016_English.pdf

'''Nevis'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.
It also appears that there is a separate Nevis Financial Services Regulatory Commission, which currently provides a more complete listing of authorized institutions here: http://www.nevisfsrc.com/regulated-entities

'''New Zealand'''
All banks operating here must be registered with the Reserve Bank and are required by law to disclose their financial condition each quarter. Here is a current list of these banks: http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/regulation-and-supervision/banks/list-of-registered-banks-in-new-zealand-past-and-present

Additionally, a search for registered New Zealand companies can be found here: https://www.business.govt.nz/companies/

'''Nicaragua'''
Regulated by the Superintendencia de Bancos y de Otras Instituciones Financieras. Authorized banks and institutions are currently listed here: http://www.superintendencia.gob.ni/index.php?web=contenido&idd=1&idw=8

'''Niger'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Banks in Niger (in French) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Niger,2335.html

'''Nigeria'''
Nigerian Banks are regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria and all approved banks are listed on ther website here. http://www.cenbank.org/Supervision/finstitutions.asp
Nigeria has undergone a major consolidation of its banking system and the bank has finally managed to update its website to reflect this. The various types of regulated institutions are listed on line and it is easy to search for them by name from the lists of different types of institution. However being Nigeria, the site can have spelling mistakes (eg Standard Chatered Bank Nigeria Ltd). You are advised to search all the categories carefully to ensure you do not miss a genuine institution. The site lists telephone numbers and web addresses which may help identify fraudsters using legitimate bank information.

'''Stock Exchanges''' The Nigerian Stock Exchange is quite large with many listed companies. Its website is here http://www.nigerianstockexchange.com and can be used to check information given out by potential fraudsters.

'''Licensed Oil Service Companies''' The Nigerian Department of Petroleum Resources requires all Oil Service Companies to be licensed. Their website can be found here: https://dpr.gov.ng/index/ Towards the bottom of the page (in the center) there is a link to the current List of Private Licensed Refineries which takes you to: http://centurionglobalsoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/List-of-Private-Refineries-Licences.pdf

'''Norway'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Finanstilsynet (The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway). To search (in English) authorized institutions by name or organization number, see: http://www.finanstilsynet.no/en/Secondary-menu/Finanstilsynets-registry/

'''Northern Cyprus'''
See under Cyprus, Northern

'''Oman'''
Banks in Oman are regulated by the Central Bank of Oman Lists with banks and other stuff here: http://www.cbo-oman.org/related.htm information provided by The Smily Cancer

'''Pakistan'''
The State Bank of Pakistan regulates and supervises all banks and other financial companies in the country. A list of licensed banks and their correct web sites (if any) is at http://www.sbp.org.pk/about/banks_nbfis/index.htm information provided by Pfiesty

'''Palau'''
Banks in Palau are regulated by the Financial Institutions Commission. A list of approved banks can be found here: http://www.ropfic.org/approved-banks.html

'''Palestine'''
The Palestine Monetary Authority here http://www.pma.ps regulates financial institutions in Palestine. Their current list of authorized banks is here: http://www.pma.ps/Default.aspx?tabid=379&language=en-US

'''Panama'''
The Panama banking regulator is the Superintendency of Banks of Panama. A list of authorized state-owned banks can be found here: https://www.superbancos.gob.pa/en/gen-info-banks/state-owned-banks A list of authorized general license banks can be found here: https://www.superbancos.gob.pa/en/gen-info-banks/general-license A list of authorized international license banks here: https://www.superbancos.gob.pa/en/gen-info-banks/international-license

'''Papua New Guinea'''
Banks in PNG are regulated by the Bank of Papua New Guinea (and there are currently only 4). Here is a list of the current commercial banks in PNG: http://www.bankpng.gov.pg/commercial-banks/

'''Paraguay'''
Financial institutions in Paraguay are regulated by the Banco Central del Paraguay. Their website is here (Spanish only): https://www.bcp.gov.py ) At this time, it does not appear they have an easily-accessible list of authorized banks or financial institutions.

'''Perú'''
Banco Central de Reserva Perú regulates financial institutions for the country. A list of authorized banking and financial institutions (in English) can be found here: http://www.bcrp.gob.pe/other-webs/banking-and-financial-institutions.html

'''The Phillipines'''
Regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Their directory "contains the directory of banks and quasi-banks and the listings of financial institutions a with special authorities/authorized to engage in specialized functions." http://www.bsp.gov.ph/banking/directory.asp information provided by TSC

'''Poland'''
Regulated by the National Bank of Poland. Authorized financial institutions can be searched at their website (in English) here: http://www.ewib.nbp.pl/?lang=en

'''Portugal'''
Regulated by the National Bank of Portugal, the full list of authorized banks is to be found here: http://www.bportugal.pt/en-US/Supervisao/Pages/Instituicoesautorizadas.aspx

'''Qatar'''
Banks are regulated by the Qatar Central Bank. Lists of authorized banks and financial institutions can be found here: http://www.qcb.gov.qa/english/supervisionapproach/licensingandregistration/pages/registration.aspx

'''Romania'''
The National Bank of Romania is responsible for regulating Romanian banks; its website is here: http://www.bnro.ro/Home.aspx It does not however appear to have an easily-accessible list of authorized institutions at this time. This list may or may not be complete, but authorized members of the Romanian Banking Association are posted here: http://www.arb.ro/en/about-rba/member-banks/

'''Russia'''
The Central Bank of the Russian Federation is responsible for regulating Russian banks; its (in English) website is here http://www.cbr.ru/eng/ If there is a search or a list of authorized banks, it is currently unavailable on the English language part of the site.

'''Rwanda'''
The National Bank of Rwanda here http://www.bnr.rw is responsible for bank regulation. A current list of licensed banks can be downloaded here: http://www.bnr.rw/index.php?id=317

'''St Kitts & Nevis'''The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.

'''St Lucia'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.

'''St Vincent & The Grenadines'''
The countries comprising the old British West Indies have a joint central bank - The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank which links with the local regulators in the various countries of this community. Its website is here http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/Financial/index.asp The easiest way to find the regulated institution is to use the scroll-able menu in the middle of the page and select the appropriate area. Once there look under each country.
That said, it only regulates local banks. The international financial sector is regulated by the International Financial Services Authority of St Vincent & The Grenadines. Licensed Financial Institutions can be found here: http://svgfsa.com/fin_institutions.html

'''Samoa'''
The Central Bank of Samoa is in charge of regulation, and there are currently only four commercial banks registered in the country. These can be found here: http://www.cbs.gov.ws/index.php/banking-system/supervison-and-regulation/commercial-banks/

'''San Marino'''
The Banca Centrale della Repubblica di San Marino maintains a list of authroized banks operating in the republic here: http://www.bcsm.sm/site/en/home/functions/statutary-functions/payments-system/authorized-banks.html

'''Sao Tome and Principe'''
The Central Bank of Sao Tome and Principe maintains a register of banks and other financial institutions which can be found (in Portuguese) here: http://www.bcstp.st/InstituicoesFinanceiras.aspx

'''Saudi Arabia'''
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority regulates banks operating in the Kingdom. Authorized Saudi banks can be found here: http://www.sama.gov.sa/en-US/License/Pages/SaudiBanks.aspx Authorized foreign banks can be found here: http://www.sama.gov.sa/en-US/License/Pages/InternationalBanks.aspx

'''Sénégal'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Banks in Sénégal (in French) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Senegal-2336.html

'''Serbia and Montenegro (Former Yugoslavia)'''
See also separate entry for Montenegro
Regulation is done by the Narodna Banka Srbije. Information on authorized banks and financial institutions can be found here: http://www.nbs.rs/internet/english/15/index.html

'''The Seychelles'''
The financial institutions operating in the Seychelles are regulated by the Central Bank. Its website is here http://www.cbs.sc However, at this time it does not appear to have an easily-accessible list of authorized institutions.

'''Sierra Leone'''
Banks and financial institutions are regulated by the Bank of Sierra Leone. A current directory of authorized banks and financial institutions can be found here: http://www.bsl.gov.sl/financial_institutions.html

'''Singapore'''
The Monetary Authority of Singapore regulates financial institutions. They have an overview of different types of institutions which can be found here: http://www.bsi.si/en/banking-supervision.asp?MapaId=105 However, at present there does not appear to be an easily-accessible list of authorized financial institutions.

'''Slovakia'''
Banks are regulated by the Národná banka Slovenska - website (in English) here: http://www.nbs.sk/en/home They don't appear to have a list of authorized banks, but a list of authorized banks can be found on the Slovenská Banková Asociácia website here: http://www.sbaonline.sk/en/banking-sector/banks-in-slovakia/

'''Slovenia'''
Regulated by the Bank of Slovenia, authorized banks and financial institutions can be found (in English) here: http://www.bsi.si/en/banking-supervision.asp?MapaId=105

'''Solomon Islands'''
Banks are regulated by the Central Bank of Solomon Islands here: http://www.cbsi.com.sb There is not currently a posted list of authorized banks, however the main commercial banks in the country are Bank of South Pacific, National Bank of Solomon Islands, ANZ, and Westpac. If a bank website is encountered claiming to be from the Solomon Islands, and it is not one of these, it is highly likely to not be legitimate.

'''Somalia'''
Banks are regulated by the Central Bank of Somalia. For a list of authorized banks, see: http://www.centralbank.gov.so/banks.html

'''South Africa'''
All banks operating in South Africa (whether local or foreign) are regulated by The Reserve Bank of South Africa. Here is a link to the current list of authorized banks: https://www.resbank.co.za/RegulationAndSupervision/BankSupervision/Pages/SouthAfricanRegisteredBanksAndRepresentativeOffices.aspx *Note - previous link is correct, but gives an error if visiting for the first time. To get to the list, go to https://www.resbank.co.za , under 'Regulation and Supervision' select 'Bank Supervision' => 'South African Registered Banks and Representative Offices'

'''Company Registration'''
The Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office register can be searched on line and gives details of all companies registered in SA Its website is http://www.cipro.co.za/Home/. The search facility is bottom left.

''' Financial Services Board'''
This regulates financial advisers in SA and its website http://www.fsb.co.za/ is a useful jumping off place to check many things. For example for Stockbrokers operating in South Africa whether local or foreign, click on '''Useful Links'''. Click on Securities Exchange South Africa. Finally Click on "Find a Broker" and if it is not there its a fake. You can also check on Insurance Brokers and Financial Advisers in the same way!

'''South Sudan'''
Bank of South Sudan in the new country's central bank, and in theory regulates financial institutions in South Sudan. There website is here (though it currently does not provide any list of authorized financial institutions as of March, 2016): https://bosshq.net

'''Spain'''
In Spain these are regulated by the Banco de España. Their main website is in English, but for a search of authorized banks it is Spanish-only. Simply select "Bancos" for "Tipo de Entidad" and then enter the name of the bank being searched in the "Nombre de la Entidad" field - website here: http://app.bde.es/ren/app/GetData?CFG=ConsultaTipos.xml&TipoFormato=XSL&Paginate=OPEN&HIST=N

If the company is not on the list it is a fake, and that includes branches of overseas institutions.

'''Sri Lanka'''
Financial institutions in Sri Lanka are regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka here: http://www.cbsl.gov.lk You can currently view a list of licensed entities here: http://www.cbsl.gov.lk/pics_n_docs/01_home/docs/banner_2_e.pdf

'''Sudan'''
Central Bank of Sudan is responsible for regulation for Sudan. There is a list of operating banks in Sudan here: http://www.cbos.gov.sd/en/node/452

'''Suriname'''
The Centrale Bank van Suriname regulates banks and financial institutions. A list of authorized financial institutions can be found here: https://www.cbvs.sr/financial-system/payments-systems/339-suriname-financial-institutions

'''Swaziland'''
Banks in Swaziland are regulated by the Central Bank of Swaziland. A list of authorized commercial banks can be found here: http://www.centralbank.org.sz/functions/banksupervision/index.php

'''Sweden'''
Regulated by the Swedish Finansinspektionen. The website has an English version here: https://www.fi.se/en/our-registers/company-register/

'''Switzerland'''
These are regulated by the Swiss Federal Banking Commission. Lists of authorized institutions are downloadable in Excel and PDF format and are updated regularly. They can be found here: https://www.finma.ch/FinmaArchiv/ebk/e/institute/index.html
IMPORTANT NOTE Some Swiss banks have an online form for APPLYING for an account, and then the customer receives a "welcome package" in the mail, with documents that have to be signed and notarized etc. before the account is OPENED. NO SWISS BANK OPENS ACCOUNTS ONLINE. They can't. 
If a website is encountered which claims it opens a Swiss Bank Account Online - Instantly all they are doing is collecting information from you that is confidential (who knows why they want it) and then they collect a fee. If you discover a Swiss Fake Site set up for fraudulent purposes, report it to this federal police site as well as to the registrar and hosting service provider: https://www.cybercrime.admin.ch/kobik/en/home/meldeformular.html

'''Syria'''
Syria is in the process of rebuilding their banking system. In theory, the Central Bank of Syria is the regulator - website (not currently functioning) here: http://www.banquecentrale.gov.sy If a bank website is encountered which claims to be based in Syria, be cautious.

==Countries T - Z==

'''Taiwan'''
For Taiwan the Financial Authority is the Central Bank of China (Do not confuse with the Peoples Bank of China which is the Central Bank of Mainland China). The list of authorized financial institutions is found here: http://www.cbc.gov.tw/lp.asp?ctNode=495&CtUnit=210&BaseDSD=7&mp=2

'''Tajikistan'''
Banks are regulated by the National Bank of the Republic of Tajikistan. A list of organizations (in English) can be found here: http://nbt.tj/en/banking_system/list-of-the-credit-organizations.php

'''Tanzania'''
Regulation is by Bank of Tanzania. Directory of authorized banks operating in Tanzania can be found here: http://www.bot-tz.org/BankingSupervision/RegisteredBanks.asp

'''Thailand'''
Thai Banks are regulated by the Bank of Thailand and this web-page lists the approved financial institutions: https://www.bot.or.th/English/FinancialInstitutions/WebsiteFI/Pages/InstList.aspx

'''Timor-Leste'''
Banks in Timor are regulated by the Banco Central de Timor-Leste. A list of authorized financial institutions (in English) can be seen here: https://www.bancocentral.tl/en/bcregistry.asp

'''Togo'''
In the countries comprising the old French West Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Togolese bank (in French) are listed here http://www.bceao.int/Togo-2337.html

'''Tonga'''
The National Reserve Bank of Tonga regulates banks (there are currently only 5 listed). The list of authorized banks can be found here: http://www.reservebank.to/index.php/affiliations

'''Trinidad & Tobago'''
The Central Bank of Trinidad & Tobago is the bank regulator, and they have a list of authorized banks and financial institutions here: http://www.central-bank.org.tt/content/banking-sector

'''Tschad'''
In the countries comprising the old French Central Africa, all financial institutions should be registered with the Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centale. The website of BEAC is not as advanced as that of BCEAO and is only in French https://www.beac.int/index.php/supervision-bancaire/lexique-des-banques-de-la-cemac . For a complete list of banks in Tschad go to https://www.beac.int/download/Liste_Banques_Tchad_28oct2014.pdf

'''Tunisia'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Banque Centrale de Tunisie - website (in English) here: http://www.bct.gov.tn/bct/siteprod/index.jsp?la=AN At present, there does not appear to be an easily-accessible list of authorized banks.

'''Turkey'''
The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency list is to be found here: http://www.bddk.org.tr/WebSitesi/english/Institutions/Institutions.aspx

'''Turkmenistan'''
Banking is regulated by the Central Bank of Turkmenistan. A list of authorized banks can be found here: http://www.cbt.tm/en/banklar.html

'''Turks & Caicos Islands'''
Authorized banks in T&C are regulated by the Turks & Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission. A current list of licensed banks can be found here: http://www.tcifsc.tc/departments/banks-trust-companies-money-transmitters2/banks/licenced-banks

'''Tuvalu'''
There are only two authorized banks on the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu (and neither currently have their own websites). These are the National Bank of Tuvalu and The Development Bank of Tuvalu. If a website is found claiming to be a Tuvalu-based bank, it is likely not legitimate.

'''Uganda'''
Financial institutions are regulated by the Bank of Uganda. Lists of bank and authorized financial institutions can be downloaded here: https://www.bou.or.ug/bou/supervision/financial_institutions.html

'''The Ukraine'''
The National Bank of Ukraine serves as the Ukrainian banking regulator - http://www.bank.gov.ua/control/en/index It does not appear there is currently an easily-accessible list of authorized banks.

'''United Arab Emirates'''
In the countries comprising the United Arab Emirates, all financial institutions should be registered with the Central Bank of the UAE. Their website (in English) is here: http://www.centralbank.ae/en/index.php There are a number of bank lists- please check all in doing research under Banks and Other Financial Institutions. A good place to start: http://www.centralbank.ae/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117&Itemid=97 or here:http://www.centralbank.ae/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=130&Itemid=74

Be aware of false negatives, since there are several lists and the lists are updated infrequently. If a bank claims to have been set up after the date of the list one can e-mail the Bank Supervision Dept here Banking Supervision and Examination Department - bsed@cbuae.gov.ae or the Anti-Money Laundering and Suspicious Cases Unit amlscu@cbuae.gov.ae

'''United Kingdom'''
In the UK financial institutions are now regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and can be searched for on this web-site: https://register.fca.org.uk

This site previously listed known fakes, but is no longer updated: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Law/Alerts/internet.shtml

'''Companies'''
In the UK all companies have to be registered at Companies House and whilst consulting the details of each company requires a payment, certain information such as the company name, registered address, activities, date of incorporation and accounting dates are available on line for free at this website. http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/info/

'''United States'''

'''Bank Regulators'''

Financial institutions include banks, savings and loans, savings banks and credit unions and thrift companies. Each state has its own regulatory agency with the authority to charter, license, or regulate various types of financial institutions. No two states regulate financial institutions in the same way. Not all financial institutions within each state are listed on their state web sites. Some state pages will give web sites of the banking institutions. Some states list only State Charter Banks and other States list all banking institutions. Included is the Business Entity Search that should locate all financial institutions within the state. All sites do not have a direct link and you must copy and paste the address.

Banks in the US can have either a Federal charter, or a State Charter (or both)
The Office of the Comptroller of Currency is the federal regulator and its website is here http://www.occ.treas.gov/ This might be a better entry point: http://www.occ.treas.gov/customer.htm

Banks, credit unions, and savings and loan associations may choose either a Federal or a State charter. This applies to foreign banks as well. So in the US, one must first look at the Federal regulator and then look at the particular state regulator. Federally chartered are identified by "national", "N.A.", or "national association" appearing in their titles.

'''Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ''' Banks can choose to be insured by the FDIC deposit insurance or some other deposit insurance. It is not a requirement to have FDIC deposit insurance but where a bank is insured by the FDIC, they must display its very distinctive logo. Some fake banks have stolen this logo claiming to be insured by the FDIC. However, if you search the FDIC website https://www.fdic.gov only the genuine banks will be revealed. If a bank website is claiming FDIC membership AND claiming to be based in somewhere other than the United States - it is fake.

'''The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)''' 
Regulates, charters, and insures the nation's federal credit unions. In addition, NCUA insures state-chartered credit unions that desire and qualify for federal insurance. In some states, state-chartered credit unions are required by state law to be federally insured. The Federally chartered credit unions often have the word Federal in their names. NCUA website in found here: https://www.ncua.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Some USA states list USA companies or corporations branch offices as Foreign due to their headquarters being out-of-state. A business with their head quarters in another country is always a Foreign Company and must be registered with the USA state that they want to do business in.

'''List of State Regulators'''

Alabama: State Banking Department
Website here: http://www.bank.state.al.us
All banks chartered in Alabama must have FDIC deposit insurance - search here: https://www5.fdic.gov/idasp/main.asp

Alaska: Department of Commerce
Directory of all banks and financial institutions can be downloaded here: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/dbs/Banking.aspx

Arizona: Department of Financial Institutions
All banks chartered in Arizona have FDIC deposit insurance
Financial institutions: http://azdfi.gov/Licensing/Licensing-FinInst/Licensing-FinInst.html

Arkansas: State Bank Department, Securities Department
Financial institutions lists can be found here: http://banking.arkansas.gov/financial-institution-info/financial-institution-lists

California: Bank on California
Financial institutions: http://www.bankoncalifornia.ca.gov/Financial_Institutions.html

Colorado: Department of Regulatory Agencies
Financial institutions can be searched here: http://www.dora.state.co.us/pls/real/bidS_Search.Search_Page

Connecticut: Department of Banking
Authorized banks currently listed here: http://www.ct.gov/dob/cwp/view.asp?a=2228&Q=296954

Delaware: Bank Commissioner 
Financial institutions listed here: http://banking.delaware.gov/pdfs/financialinstitutions/DEFinInstitutions.pdf

District of Columbia: Federal Capital of the United States 
List of banks in DC is here: http://disb.dc.gov/page/list-banks-district-columbia

Florida: Office of Financial Regulation:
Search of authorized financial institutions listed here: https://real.flofr.com/ConsumerServices/FinancialInstitutions/InstSrch.aspx

Georgia: Department of Banking and Finance
There is an available search for banks and financial institutions here: http://dbf.georgia.gov/banking-information-and-searches

Hawaii: Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Website is here: http://cca.hawaii.gov/dfi/ Currently, main authorized banks are listed here: http://cca.hawaii.gov/dfi/files/2012/11/Financial-Institutions-09.15.2015.pdf

Idaho: Department of Finance
Information view-able/downloadable at bottom of the page here: http://www.finance.idaho.gov/Banking/Banking.aspx

Illinois: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Financial Institutions (DFI)
Information can be found here: http://www.idfpr.com/DFI.asp

Indiana: Department of Financial Institutions: 
Depository institution listing is currently available here: http://extranet.dfi.in.gov/Depository/DepositoryListing

Iowa: Division of Banking: 
List of regulated entities can be found here: http://www.idob.state.ia.us/bank/docs/regenty.aspx

Kansas: State Bank Commissioner of Kansas
Lists of authorized institutions are here: http://www.osbckansas.org/consumers/whoregulates.html

Kentucky: Department of Financial Institutions 
Website is searchable here: http://kfi.ky.gov/search/Pages/default.aspx

Louisiana: Office of Financial Institutions <
Banks can be found here: http://www.ofi.state.la.us/newbkwebs.htm

Maine: Bureau of Financial Institutions 
Regulated financial institutions are listed here: http://www.state.me.us/pfr/financialinstitutions/regulated.htm

Maryland: Financial Regulation 
Lists of regulated banks, credit unions, etc. can be found here: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/finance/banks/

Massachusetts: Office of Consumer Affairs 
Authorized banks can be searched here: http://www.mass.gov/treasury/cash-management/bank-lists/

Michigan: Department of Insurance and Financial Services
Authorized financial institutions can be found listed here: https://www.michigan.gov/difs/0,5269,7-303-13251---,00.html

Minnesota: Business & Lien System
Business search is available here: https://mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us

Mississippi: Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance
Authorized financial institutions can be found here: http://www.dbcf.state.ms.us/banking.asp

Missouri: Secretary of State
A search tool for all state business entities: https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BESearch.aspx?SearchType=0

Montana: Secretary of State
Search for authorized business entities here: https://app.mt.gov/bes/

Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance
Lists and search available here: http://www.ndbf.ne.gov/searches/fisearch.shtml

Nevada: Department of Business and Industry
Authorized financial institutions (and contact information) available here: http://fid.state.nv.us

New Hampshire: Banking Department
Downloadable lists of authorized financial institutions can be found here: http://www.nh.gov/banking/bank-cu-trust/index.htm

New Jersey: Department of Banking and Insurance
Financial institutions are listed here: http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/bankwebinfo.htm

New Mexico: Regulation & Licensing Department
Authorized financial institutions can be found here: http://www.rld.state.nm.us/financialinstitutions/

New York: Department of Financial Services
Lists of supervised entities can be found here: http://www.dfs.ny.gov/about/whowesupervise.htm

North Carolina: State Commissioner of Banks
Authorized financial institutions are currently listed here: https://www.nccob.org/Online/brts/BanksAndTrusts.aspx

North Dakota: Department of Financial Institutions
A search of authorized financial institutions is available here: http://www.nd.gov/dfi/regulate/reg/regulated.asp

Ohio: Department of Commerce:
Division of Financial Institutions can be found here: http://www.com.state.oh.us/fiin/default.aspx

Oklahoma: Banking Department
Regulated entities are listed here: https://www.ok.gov/banking/Who_We_Regulate/index.html

Oregon: Division of Finance Regulation
Authorized banks and trust companies can be found here: http://www.dfcs.oregon.gov/banks_trusts.html

Pennsylvania: Department of Banking & Securities
Banks, credit unions, and trust companies are listed here: http://www.dobs.pa.gov/Businesses/Banking/Pages/default.aspx#.VvT2i3pRLG4

Puerto Rico: Commissioner of Financial Institutions PR
Website (in English) is here: http://www.ocif.gobierno.pr/index_eng.html
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) search available here: https://www5.fdic.gov/idasp/main.asp

Rhode Island: Department of Business Regulation
A link to searchable institutions can be found here: http://www.dbr.ri.gov/divisions/banking/banks.php

South Carolina: Office of the Commissioner of Banking
Regulated institutions are listed here: http://www.banking.sc.gov/regulatedinstitutions/Pages/default.aspx

South Dakota: Department of Revenue
Website is here (though currently does not have an easily-accessible list of authorized institutions): http://dor.sd.gov

Tennessee: Department of Financial Institutions
Regulated entities are listed here: http://www.tennessee.gov/tdfi/topic/who-we-regulate

Texas: Department of Banking
Licensed financial institutions can be found here: http://www.dob.texas.gov

Utah: Department of Financial Institutions
Authorized financial institutions are listed here: http://dfi.utah.gov/financial-institutions/

Virgin Islands US: Chairman of Banking Board
FDIC: http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main_bankfind.asp 
Government website here (but no list of authorized banks at present): http://ltg.gov.vi/welcome-2.html

Vermont: Department of Financial Regulation
Lists of regulated entities are available here: http://www.dfr.vermont.gov/banking/find-company

Virginia: State Corporation Commission
Regulated institutions are listed here: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/bfi/index.aspx

Washington: Department of Financial Institutions
Authorized financial institutions are listed here: http://www.dfi.wa.gov/banks/who-we-regulate

West Virginia: Division of Financial Institutions
Authorized financial institutions are listed here: http://www.dfi.wv.gov/banking/insitutions/Pages/default.aspx

Wisconsin: Department of Financial Institutions
A search for authorized banking institutions is available here: http://www.wdfi.org/fi/banks/licensee_lists/

Wyoming: Division of Banking
Website found here: https://sites.google.com/a/wyo.gov/banking/

'''The Office of the Comptroller of Currency''' is the federal regulator and its website is here http://www.occ.treas.gov/ This might be a better entry point: http://www.occ.treas.gov/customer.htm

'''Regional OCC Offices'''' 
'''Central District''' Responsible for national banks headquartered in Illinois, Indiana, Eastern and Northwestern Iowa, Northern Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Eastern Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Southwestern Virginia, Southwestern West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Central District Office One Financial Place -- Suite 2700 440 South LaSalle St. -- Chicago, IL 60605 (312) 360-8800 -- TDD (312) 360-8827

'''Northeastern District''' Responsible for national banks headquartered in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, Northern Virginia, and Northern West Virginia.
Northeastern District Office 1114 Avenue of the Americas -- Suite 3900 New York, NY 10036 (212) 819-9860 -- TDD (212) 790-4084

'''Southern District''' Responsible for national banks headquartered in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Southern Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Southern West Virginia.
Southern District Office 500 North Akard Street -- Suite 1600 Dallas, TX 75201 (214) 720-0656 -- TDD (214)720-7086

'''Western District''' Responsible for national banks headquartered in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Western Iowa, Kansas, Western Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Guam.
Western District Office 1225 17th Street -- Suite 300 Denver, CO 80202 (720) 475-7600 -- TDD (720) 475-7697

'''Uruguay'''
All banks are regulated by the Banco Central de Uruguay here: http://www.bcu.gub.uy . There does not appear to be an easily-accessible list of authorized banks at this time.

'''Uzbekistan'''
Banks are regulated by the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Their website is here (but is currently not functioning): http://www.cbu.uz

'''Vanuatu'''
All banks are regulated by the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu. They are listed here: http://www.rbv.gov.vu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143%3Alist-of-authorized-financial-institutions&catid=49%3Aauthorized-banks-and-supervised-institutions&Itemid=103&lang=en

'''Vatican City'''
The only bank in the city-state is the Istituto per le Opere di Religione (IOR) - also known as the Vatican Bank. Their website is here: http://www.ior.va/content/ior/en.html

'''Venezuela'''
In Venezuela, the banks are regulated by the Superintendente de Bancos and the list of banks (Spanish only) is here: http://sudeban.gob.ve/?page_id=151

'''Vietnam'''
All banks are regulated by the State Bank of Vietnam. Authorized banks and financial institutions are listed (in English) here: http://www.sbv.gov.vn/portal/faces/en/enpages/creditis

'''Yemen'''
The Central Bank of Yemen supervises the banking system. Its website is here http://www.centralbank.gov.ye
There are seventeen commercial banks in the country, four of which are Islamic. These seventeen are all on this list here: http://www.centralbank.gov.ye/combanks.htm

'''Zambia'''
All banks should be registered with the Bank of Zambia. They are listed here http://www.boz.zm under 'Supervision'. *Note - site goes on/offline at present.

'''Zimbabwe'''
Zimbabwean banks are registered with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. They are listed here: http://www.rbz.co.zw/banking-institutions.html Additionally, micro fiance banks are listed here: http://www.rbz.co.zw/mfis.html

==Useful International Sites==

'''Web Searches'''

'''Bank for International Settlements Website'''
In many countries, the organisation responsible for regulating banks is the local Central Bank.. This BIS website lists the individual central bank websites which can be used to check out the banks in the countries concerned. http://www.bis.org/cbanks.htm

'''The Bankers' Almanac''' Lists the bank regulators around the world on its website http://www.bankersalmanac.com/addcon/infobank/bank-regulators.aspx However unless you are a subscriber, you then have to google search for the institution required.

'''Wikipedia''' List of financial regulatory authorities by country can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_financial_regulatory_authorities_by_country

Advance Fee Fraud

2025-08-04T10:12:30Z

Artists Against 419: Added non-delivery fraud section

== Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud aka 419 ==

Advance Fee Fraud has been around, in various forms, for centuries. The basic technique is to convince a victim that they are going to receive a large reward in return for little or no effort on their part. Once the victim is 'hooked', the fraudster(s) will gradually reveal various fees that must be paid before the victim can access the fortune that they believe is waiting for them. These fees may be in the form of bribes to officials, duties, taxes, account fees, etc. As each charge is paid by the unsuspecting victim, a new fee arises. Naturally, there is never any reward, and this process continues until the victim realises what is happening, or simply runs out of money.

In modern times this form of fraud has become a major 'industry' in Nigeria, so much so that it is now commonly referred to as "Nigerian Fraud", even when perpetrated by citizens of other countries. Another common name is "419 fraud" after Section 419 of the Nigerian Penal code, the section that specifically prohibits this type of crime. Whereas they originally sent handwritten letters with forged postage stamps, they now make use of the Internet to reach their victims.

This type of fraud is carried out in a number of different ways. One very common scheme is to convince a victim that the criminal has a very large amount of money trapped in a bank or security company, and for some reason cannot retrieve it. The victim is promised a large percentage of the fortune in return for essentially 'laundering' the money through their own bank account. This is an important feature of the scam: the victim is lured into agreeing to an unlawful enterprise, so that they will feel reluctant later to contact the authorities.

These scams have evolved into online romance scams where the actors lure victims into a fake online romance, while after a period of grooming, convince the victim to pay monies to them upon some pretext. Miltary romance scams falls into this grouping. These scams are also often accompanied by investment scams where victims are encouraged to invest there savings into bogus investment schemes.

The criminals operating these schemes often try to encourage the victim to travel to meet them in a foreign country; sometimes Nigeria or a neighbouring country, but often European cities such as Amsterdam or Madrid. Once again, the intention in getting the victim away from their home is to make them feel vulnerable, and reluctant to contact the police. In rare instances, victims who meet with the criminals are actually threatened, kidapped, or even murdered.

=== Related links ===
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php aa419 fake site database]
*Is this a legit bank? [[Online search tools]]
*How to [[Report advance fee fraud to the Dutch authorities]]

== Cameroonian Non-Delivery Fraud ==
Cameroonian Non-Delivery Fraud is a type of online scam that originated in Cameroon and has become notorious for its deceptive sophistication. Fraudsters advertise goods online and accept payment, but never deliver these goods. Victims are typically diverted to fake couriers where the victim is defrauded further, also potentially extorted.

* '''Fake Websites''': Scammers create professional-looking websites that target the desired audience which may be businesses or general consumers. Spoofing is rife when it comes to business targeting scams, often showing stolen business credentials. Consumer level scams often show no contact details, or a disposable telephone number and an email address only.
* '''Social Media''': SCammers use search engine optimization and social media platforms to drive traffic to these sites.
* '''Product Types''':
** Pets scams are common, sometimes also endangered species like Asian Arowana, parrots or reptiles.
** Forged document scams such as drivers licences, visas, passports, IETLS and TOEFL scams are rife, often accompanied by counterfeit currency and black money scams.
** Certains scams are regional like poultry and livestocks scams targeting South Africa, or magic mushroom scams targeting Australia.
** Illicit drugs scams are common, even cocaine, heroin and/or LSD being used as bait.
** Medical supplies e.g., masks, hazmat suits, ventilators became prevalent during COVID-19 showing how adaptable these scams are.
* '''Extortion Tactics''': Victims may be blackmailed after attempting to purchase illegal items like drugs or CITES protected sepcies. Scammers impersonate law enforcement and threaten legal action unless more money is paid.
=== Related Links ===
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=pet aa419 listed pet scams]
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=drug aa419 listed drug scams]
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=blackmoney forged documents, currency and black money scams]
*[https://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php?cmd=ADV&x_ScamType=nondelivery other aa419 listed non-delivery scams]
*[https://blog.aa419.org/cameroonian-fraud-taxonomy/ non-delivery fraud taxonomy]

Contact Us

2025-08-04T09:34:17Z

Artists Against 419:

Before completing the contact form below, please read the following:

The Artists Against 419 specialise in identifying and closing down fake websites.
 Therefore, contact us ONLY:
<ul>
<li> If you want to let us know about a fake web site. Please include the URL so that we can check it.
<li> If you have a question about the AA419 web site or the work we do.
</ul>
Please do NOT contact us:
<ul>
<li>If you have been a victim of internet fraud. If you have lost money to an internet scammer, we cannot help you recover it. You should report this crime to the police. If you have given the scammer any financial information, such as your bank or credit card details, you should also immediately contact your bank.

<li>Should you require further help, consult a site that specializes in victim assistance. [http://scamsurvivors.com/ ScamSurvivors] is a knowledgeable, trusted consumer facing partner that can assist you. You can get ScamSurvivor's assistance by contacting them on their [http://scamsurvivors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=35261 forum].

<li>If you want our help to "trace" a scammer. We cannot investigate individual cases of internet fraud.

<li>If you have received a scam email. There are literally thousands of these in circulation. We can do nothing to stop them. They always come from free email accounts, such as Yahoo or Hotmail. They are registered with fake names and addresses, and are, therefore, impossible to trace. Don't reply to it, just delete it.

<li>If you want to ask us if the email telling you that you have won a lottery is real. These emails are NEVER real. To win a lottery, you must first buy a ticket. There are no exceptions to this.

<li>If you want to ask us whether the person who has contacted you and wants to give you a share of their millions of dollars is genuine. These offers are NEVER real. Neither are the "barristers", "lawyers" and "accountants" that this person will claim to put you in touch with.
</ul>

DO NOT CONTACT US TO ASK WHETHER A COMPANY LISTED IN OUR FAKE SITES DATABASE IS REALLY FAKE. THEY ARE. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE IN OUR DATABASE. If you have questions about sites in the database, then [http://forum.aa419.org/search.php go to our discussion forum] and talk about it there.

And finally, please understand that your message will be received by humans. The Artists Against 419 is run solely by volunteers who give up their spare time willingly and for no reward other than to help the fight against internet fraud. So, if you're asking us something and would like to receive a reply, endeavour to use the word "please", and attempt to maintain at least a minimum of politeness. Otherwise your message is likely to be ignored. Thank you!

'''General Spam:''' We are not a business, we do not sell anything. Any form of commercial solicitation via this contact form will be considered abuse and treated as allowed for in our [[Privacy Policy]] which may include blacklisting, public naming and shaming, also full sharing of such information with anti-abuse groups such as [https://www.stopforumspam.com/ Stop Forum Spam].

'''Lawyers:''' Please do not drag us into disputes between your clients and consumers. You are most welcome to report online fraud to us, not parties critiquing your clients.

'''Malware:''' Please do not report malware to us. Our goal is to mitigate [[Advance Fee Fraud]].

{{Special:Contact}}

[[Privacy Policy]]

Contact Us

2025-06-03T23:33:59Z

Artists Against 419:

Before completing the contact form below, please read the following:

The Artists Against 419 specialise in identifying and closing down fake websites.
 Therefore, contact us ONLY:
<ul>
<li> If you want to let us know about a fake web site. Please include the URL so that we can check it.
<li> If you have a question about the AA419 web site or the work we do.
</ul>
Please do NOT contact us:
<ul>
<li>If you have been a victim of internet fraud. If you have lost money to an internet scammer, we cannot help you recover it. You should report this crime to the police. If you have given the scammer any financial information, such as your bank or credit card details, you should also immediately contact your bank.

<li>Should you require further help, consult a site that specializes in victim assistance. [http://scamsurvivors.com/ ScamSurvivors] is a knowledgeable, trusted consumer facing partner that can assist you. You can get ScamSurvivor's assistance by contacting them on their [http://scamsurvivors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=35261 forum].

<li>If you want our help to "trace" a scammer. We cannot investigate individual cases of internet fraud.

<li>If you have received a scam email. There are literally thousands of these in circulation. We can do nothing to stop them. They always come from free email accounts, such as Yahoo or Hotmail. They are registered with fake names and addresses, and are, therefore, impossible to trace. Don't reply to it, just delete it.

<li>If you want to ask us if the email telling you that you have won a lottery is real. These emails are NEVER real. To win a lottery, you must first buy a ticket. There are no exceptions to this.

<li>If you want to ask us whether the person who has contacted you and wants to give you a share of their millions of dollars is genuine. These offers are NEVER real. Neither are the "barristers", "lawyers" and "accountants" that this person will claim to put you in touch with.
</ul>

DO NOT CONTACT US TO ASK WHETHER A COMPANY LISTED IN OUR FAKE SITES DATABASE IS REALLY FAKE. THEY ARE. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE IN OUR DATABASE. If you have questions about sites in the database, then [http://forum.aa419.org/search.php go to our discussion forum] and talk about it there.

And finally, please understand that your message will be received by humans. The Artists Against 419 is run solely by volunteers who give up their spare time willingly and for no reward other than to help the fight against internet fraud. So, if you're asking us something and would like to receive a reply, endeavour to use the word "please", and attempt to maintain at least a minimum of politeness. Otherwise your message is likely to be ignored. Thank you!

== No Marketing! ==

'''JasperAI, Pictory, ThriveCart, Systeme.io and their affiliates:''' Artists Against 419 specifically prohibits you from using this contact form. We do not want your garbage spam.

'''Website designers and SEO marketers:''' Please do not contact us, we have no requirement for your services.

'''General Spam:''' We are not a business, we do not sell anything. Any form of commercial solicitation via this contact form will be considered abuse and treated as allowed for in our [[Privacy Policy]] which may include blacklisting, public naming and shaming, also full sharing of such information with anti-abuse groups such as [https://www.stopforumspam.com/ Stop Forum Spam].

{{Special:Contact}}

[[Privacy Policy]]

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-06-02T20:28:20Z

Artists Against 419:

User:Artists Against 419

2025-05-28T23:03:45Z

Artists Against 419:

This is [[Main Page|Artists Against 419]], focusing on various forms of advance fee fraud to keep honest internet users a bit safer.

JSON API

2025-05-28T20:38:15Z

Artists Against 419: /* JSON API */

== JSON API ==

The aa419 Webservice Project is to provide automated access to our Fake Site Database. Our JSON API is a way for computer programs to read our database. Computer programs with a webservice interface can access and read from data from our database. Its intended use is to enable webmasters of anti-advance fee fraud websites to provide up-to-date lists and a search functionality of fake sites on their own respective websites. It's a way for webhosting companies, registrars, registries and for other interested parties (including Law Enforcement Agencies) to automate the search for fraudulent domains or to embed the aa419 database into their particular application. Our JSON API access is open to anyone who needs information about fraudulent entities in a more structured way than the public web-interface offers.

=== Obtaining access ===

To access our API is simple.

* Register an account on the Artists Against 419 database page at https://db.aa419.org/ under the Login tab.
* Confirm the account in the email that is sent.
* Login into the Artists Against 419 database.
* Click on the '''your account''' tab.
* Note your unique '''Auth-API-Id''' which is a 32 aplhanumeric character string.

=== Using the JSON API ===

The documentation on the current methods is dynamically generated. While logged into the Artists Against 419 database, visit https://db.aa419.org/api.php to obtain the current documentation.
A copy of this output dated 2022/02/05 can be found at https://www.aa419.org/jsonapi/

User:Aa419

2025-05-28T20:27:35Z

Artists Against 419: Artists Against 419 moved page User:Aa419 to User:Artists Against 419: Automatically moved page while merging the account "Aa419" to "Artists Against 419"

#REDIRECT [[User:Artists Against 419]]

User:Komsomol

2025-05-28T19:38:02Z

Artists Against 419: Derek moved page User:Komsomol to User:Aa419: Automatically moved page while merging the account "Komsomol" to "Aa419"

#REDIRECT [[User:Aa419]]

User:Skollie

2025-05-28T05:02:31Z

Artists Against 419: Aa419 moved page User:Skollie to User:Derek: Automatically moved page while renaming the user "Skollie" to "Derek"

#REDIRECT [[User:Derek]]

Links

2025-05-28T03:53:23Z

Artists Against 419:

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [https://scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors] Free, non judgmental help and advice for those scammed online.
* [https://www.scamadviser.com/ ScamAdviser] Check if a website is a scam.
* [https://petscams.com/ PetScams.com] Petscams.com was created with the purpose of cataloguing the latest websites built by scammers.
* [https://ascams.com/ ascam] Anti-scam tools and services.
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?
* [https://ferm-rotterdam.nl/en/blacklist/ FERM] Storage Spoofing Blacklist
* [https://www.supplierblacklist.com/ Supplier Blacklist] International Blacklist of Bad Suppliers.

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

If you have been defrauded, please report it to your local authorities. The below links may assist stopping other consumers getting defrauded.

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-05-28T03:34:47Z

Artists Against 419:

History

2025-05-28T03:34:23Z

Artists Against 419: Skollie moved page History to Our History

#REDIRECT [[Our History]]

Our History

2025-05-28T03:34:23Z

Artists Against 419: Skollie moved page History to Our History

In October 2003, the Artists Against 419 (aa419) were born. Starting small, we initially hotlinked images from fake banks to drain their small bandwidth allowance, causing the hosting company to close them once they reached their limit.

But the fake banks evolved, and so did the Artists.

Our first response, was simply to have a party. Lots of us, sitting and chatting, and running our Bandwidth Hogging tools. It worked, but it wasn't very elegant. The feeling was good though, so we called it a [[Flash Mob|"Flashmob"]] and decided to do this on a regular basis for the banks we just couldn't get closed down.

Our next step was to think a little more artistically. Art is what you make it, so why should the wonderful world of prose be forgotten? We began to write to hosters, asking them to close the fake sites hosted on their webspace. This bore results far faster than Bandwidth Hogging ever did.

But madness must visit every artist at some point, and aa419 began to see zombies. Fake banks we had killed once were rising from the grave, on another hoster. Things were all getting to confusing, so we created a [http://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php database] of the fake banks as we identified them. This started as a little project to make our lives easier, and is now the core of aa419's policy. Identify the fakes, enter them into the [http://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php database], and let the awesome power of the search engines show them to the world.

If it doesn't challenge the Artist, it's not Art, so we needed to take things further. We began to formalise our complaint letters, learning from negative hoster responses, and from the positive ones too. We now carefully identify every reason why a website is fake in each complaint letter.

On September 14th 2007 the Artists discontinued the use of Mugito and Lad Vampire our Bandwidth Hogging tools.

As a community we have grown more sophisticated and effective in the art of shutting down fake web sites with words alone. Our database is the largest of its kind, and our expertise at identifying, cataloging, and terminating fraud sites is unmatched. We shut down over 95% of the fakes in our database by letter-writing and establishing good relationships with hosts and domain registrars. With so many reputable hosting companies supporting the work of AA419, we no longer need the pressure tactics that worked in our infancy.

This is not to say that AA419 has lost its teeth. We remain committed to locating, and closing fakes web sites of all descriptions.

And the result of our artistic endeavour is in front of you right now. We are constantly seeking to improve our methods, and to make the Internet just a little better. If you want to help, become an [http://forum.aa419.org/ Artist.]

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-05-28T03:33:01Z

Artists Against 419:

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-05-28T03:31:32Z

Artists Against 419:

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-05-28T03:29:07Z

Artists Against 419:

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-05-28T03:28:01Z

Artists Against 419:

Main Page

2025-05-28T00:00:35Z

Artists Against 419: /* Welcome to Artists Against 419 */

== Welcome to Artists Against 419 ==

The Internet is great, isn't it? It's a magical place, where you can buy anything you want, meet new people, find information... and lose all your money to scammers.

We've never liked that last part, so we started to fight back. [[History|Over time]] our art has evolved, and we now maintain the largest manually researched online repository of web sites used in internet fraud.

We offer a [https://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users that a site they visit is a fake company run by scammers. But most importantly, we continue to build better relations with other anti-fraud organizations and webhosting companies, to pursue our goal of ridding the Internet of fraudulent web sites.

==== Related pages ====
* [[FAQ and Support]]
* [[Advance Fee Fraud|What is 419, what is non-delivery fraud?]]
* Is this a legit site? Use some [[Online search tools]] to help identify fraud
* [[Links]] to other sites
* [[Fanmail]]
* [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World]]

==Announcement: Anti Phishing Working Group==

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.apwg.org|https://wiki.aa419.org/images/apwg_logo.gif}}
</div>

We believe that open communication between all companies and groups involved in the fight against internet fraud is the only way to combat it.

To that end, the Artists Against 419 are proud to announce their membership of the Anti Phishing Working Group (APWG), and look forward to co-operating with its many members. Our main focus of work will remain fake websites used in Advance Fee fraud, but we aim to share our knowledge where possible.

For more information on the APWG, please click on their logo above.

==WHOXY==
[https://www.whoxy.com/ WHOXY] is a great tool to research a domain's history or the behavior of a registrant. Much as some parties would like to describe WHOIS data as privacy invasive, the reality is it allows transparency to consumer and commerce alike and, if used correctly, is rather a stepping stone to consumer trust protecting both consumer and service provider alike. It also allows researchers and consumers to research issues that undermines the legitimate internet, avoiding and/or addressing them. WHOXY is a great tool for this purpose and a must in your bookmarks or toolkit.

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.whoxy.com/|https:////whoxy.s3.amazonaws.com/x.png}}
</div>

Links

2023-03-25T21:17:19Z

Artists Against 419: /* Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information */

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [https://scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors] Free, non judgmental help and advice for those scammed online.
* [https://www.scamadviser.com/ ScamAdviser] Check if a website is a scam.
* [https://petscams.com/ PetScams.com] Petscams.com was created with the purpose of cataloguing the latest websites built by scammers.
* [https://ascams.com/ ascam] Anti-scam tools and services.
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?
* [https://ferm-rotterdam.nl/en/blacklist/ FERM] Storage Spoofing Blacklist
* [https://www.supplierblacklist.com/ SUPPLIER BLACKLIST] International Blacklist of Bad Suppliers.

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

If you have been defrauded, please report it to your local authorities. The below links may assist stopping other consumers getting defrauded.

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

Links

2023-03-25T21:01:40Z

Artists Against 419: /* Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information */

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [https://scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors] Free, non judgmental help and advice for those scammed online.
* [https://www.scamadviser.com/ ScamAdviser] Check if a website is a scam.
* [https://ascams.com/ ascam] Anti-scam tools and services.
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?
* [https://ferm-rotterdam.nl/en/blacklist/ FERM] Storage Spoofing Blacklist
* [https://www.supplierblacklist.com/ SUPPLIER BLACKLIST] International Blacklist of Bad Suppliers.

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

If you have been defrauded, please report it to your local authorities. The below links may assist stopping other consumers getting defrauded.

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

Online search tools

2023-02-12T20:11:54Z

Artists Against 419: /* Other Useful Tools & Tips */

Have you received an offer from a ''bank'' or a ''security'' or ''off-shore company'', or perhaps a winning notification from a ''foreign lottery''? Want to know if they're real? If you can't find your bank in our [http://db.aa419.org/fakebankslist.php database] of 419 fake banks and lottery websites, that doesn't mean it's a legitimate business! New fakes come online every day. The following tips and tools can help you identify and avoid fraudulent banks and other fake web sites. If you're suspicious about a site, contact the artists!

== Fake Banks ==

It's the law for banks to be registered with the appropriate authorities in the country in which they are located. Even "offshore" banks are required to have a license! If a bank is not regulated /registered, it means '''automatically''' that it is fake, criminal and fraudulent. Running a fake bank is criminal offence that can be punished with imprisonment. The following sites will help you determine whether a bank is, in fact, real:
<ul>
<li>'''[[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World]]''' links to Central Banks and Financial Service Authorities for over eighty countries.
</li><li>'''The Bank for International Settlements''' Web site lists the individual Central Bank Web sites which can be used to check out banks in the countries covered. [http://www.bis.org/cbanks.htm http://www.bis.org/cbanks.htm]
</li><li>[https://www.google.com/ Google] is your friend! Search for the company name to check if they are fraudsters or legit. A legit bank will be linked to from or mentioned on many other web sites. Do an [https://www.google.com/advanced_search? advanced search] to find pages that link to the page. If nobody links to the bank - most probably it's a fake web site!</li>
</ul>

To be absolutely certain that information on a bank is correct, you should telephone the regulatory authority in that country. If the bank is real, check on the phone numbers or employee names given to you -- scammers will often pretend to work for actual companies!

== Sweepstakes and Lotteries ==

As a rule of thumb - If you haven't participated in a lottery, how could you win?

You can find more about lottery scams [http://www.419scam.org/419lottery.htm on this web site].

== Phishing Sites ==

Phishers use fake Web sites to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. They abuse the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers, and credit card companies to convince recipients to respond to them. More information can be found at the [http://www.antiphishing.org/ Anti-Phishing Working Group]'s site. Also, here are some [https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/cps/securitycenter/general/RecognizePhishing-outside Tips on Spotting Fraudulent Web Sites] from Paypal; they describe some ways to avoid being phished, and how to make sure you're using a secure server connection (SSL).

== Other Useful Tools & Tips ==

* '''Check the registration data''': Enter the domain name of their web site into [https://www.whoxy.com/ WHOXY]. You can see who has registered the domain name and how long they have been online; it also lets you know who's hosting the web site, and various other interesting tidbits.

* '''Secure Online Banking:''' Legitimate banks protect their customer's account information! Always look for "https://" instead of "http://" on a login or registration form -- this means they use a "secure server connection," or SSL.

* Some fake banks abuse the logos from SSL Certification companies like Verisign, TRUSTe or DigiCert! If your bank is using these logos, check if they are listed on [http://www.verisign.com/ www.verisign.com] or [https://www.digicert.com/ www.digicert.com]

Look out for any of the following to identify abuse of their seals:
<ul>
<li>The site does not own a digital certificate.
</li><li>The information on the Seal Information Page does not match the information of the site.
</li><li>When the Trusted Site Seal is clicked, there is no information page that pops-up.
</li><li>There have been illegal (or any) modifications to the Trusted Site Seal.
</li><li>The Seal is being used to promote Spam, illegal activities or other questionable behaviour.
</li><li>[https://www.digicert.com/tls-ssl/digicert-site-seal read more]...</li>
</ul>

If you might have found a company that is using the TRUSTe seal illegally, please take a moment to let them know: [https://feedback-form.truste.com/watchdog/request Report TRUSTe Seal Spoofers].

== Related links ==
* '''On Our Site'''
** [[Report advance fee fraud to the Dutch authorities]]

FAQ and Support

2023-02-12T20:00:33Z

Artists Against 419: /* Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam! */

__TOC__

===Who are the Artists?===
We are an international community of individuals dedicated to fighting advance fee "419" fraud and other online scams. Our goal is to educate the public about how dangerous it can be to trust a "company" just because they have a nice web site. We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users of fraudulent web sites. But most importantly, we continue to build relations with webhosting companies and registrars to get fraudulent web sites off the Internet.

Many people ask why we prefer to stay anonymous. The answer is simple: we prefer it if criminals don't know exactly who we are! When their web sites go offline, it costs them a great deal of time and money to explain to potential victims why the company, bank, lottery, or whatever, can't stay online. This tends to make them angry, and [[Fanmail|that anger is directed at us]] for "ruining their jobs". Some of our members have gotten threatening phone calls from angry criminals -- so now, for all of our safety, we hide our identities.

===What sort of sites are these "fake sites"? Are they really illegal?===
Fake sites are the infrastructure of advance fee fraud scams. (Wondering what advance fee fraud is? [[Advance Fee Fraud|Find out here]].) By posing as a legitimate financial institution, a bank site can add credibility to the story of a scammer. For example, Mariam Abacha might have deposited her millions of dollars with this "bank", and puts you in touch with the "banker" there to help transfer the money. Then, he is the one who will charge fees for various procedures, licenses, certificates, and so on.

In addition to trying to perpetrate fraud, these fake bankers violate numerous national and international laws just by posing as deposit-holding companies. Banks are ''required'' to be registered with the Financial Services Authority, Central Bank, or other regulatory agency in all countries in which they operate.

If you're curious about the difference between a fake bank and a phishing scam, please see our [[Phishing FAQ]].

===Why don't you report these sites?===
We do! Every site reported to us is investigated, and if it is proven false, we add it to our [http://db.aa419.org/ database,] we report it to the current Web site host, the police, and to other official bodies. The Artists want to stop Internet crime, and willingly cooperate with anyone who will help the fight.

===Why aren't these criminals arrested?===
The scammers hide behind false identities, use mobile phones and public Internet cafes to conduct their "business," are often ignored by corrupt local officials, and are well out of the jurisdiction of your local police force. The Artists do share information and work with law enforcement around the world whenever possible; however, the widespread international nature of 419 scams make invsetigation and prosecution difficult.

===What is a flash mob?===
Sometimes a Web host will ignore the evidence that a site is fake and refuse to act against it, although the existence of such a site is very often in clear violation of the host's own Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy. These sites can become the focus of a flash mob: an intense letter-writing campaign and in the past using other approaches, we seek to remind the host that these sites are fraudulent, created and operated by criminals solely for the purpose of deception. The intent is to create an anti-fraud message that the host can not ignore.

===How do you know that the site is fake?===
Banks are carefully regulated by different authorities around the world and the same is true for companies offering escrow services. Simply checking a site against a regulator's list is sufficient evidence to show that such a site is illegal. (Lotteries and many regular companies are subject to similar supervision, depending on the country.) One of our members has compiled [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World|an exhaustive list]] of financial (and company) regulators around the world. This is our one such resource for investigating potentially fake companies. A company claiming to sell and export commodities needs to be registered. A quick check can quickly expose a fake seller, or perhaps on spoofing a real company. There are many, many ''other'' indications that a site is probably fake; however, we prefer not to list them here, so the criminals will not learn how to disguise their fake banks better.

===How can I find out if a site is a fake?===
* Look through [https://db.aa419.org/ our database of fraudulent sites]. This is being constantly updated as new sites are identified and shut down. The gangs that create these sites often use the same business names, phone numbers, and designs on different sites.
* There are a number of [[Online search tools]] that you can use to research banks and other types of companies.
* If you have received an URL in e-mail and aren't sure about it, send it to us via our contact page. It might just be a fake we haven't found yet. '''Under no circumstances should you give money to someone just because someone has a web page, or you saw a Web page with your name on it!''' 

===I just won the lottery! ===
'''I have millions of dollars in the bank! I am getting a shipment of gold dust!'''

These are all typical [[Advance Fee Fraud]] scams. To find out more about advance fee fraud, see what Scotland Yard has to say: [http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm]

Also, see our links page which points to other resources about scams and scam-fighters.

The best rule of thumb you can follow is: if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Millions of dollars are lost every year by fraud victims, and this money is funneled back to the criminal gangs to fund their fraudulent activities. The fake sites we target are often paid for with stolen credit cards or victims' funds. Don't be a victim! Stop all communication with the scammers at once, and do not believe their stories.

===Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam!===
If you have already given money to a scammer, or suspect a scam, there are a number of sites that can help you:
*[https://www.scamsurvivors.com/ https://www.scamsurvivors.com/]
*[https://www.scamwarners.com/ https://www.scamwarners.com/]
*[https://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ https://www.scamvictimsunited.com]

Please be aware that the scammers will not rest: they will attempt to keep drawing money from you, using a variety of stories and tricks, including claiming that they can recover your lost funds. Scam victims are typically passed from gang member to gang member as each tries to work a new angle. The best thing you can do is stop all communication with them immediately. Block their emails, block their telephone numbers.

FAQ and Support

2023-02-12T19:59:57Z

Artists Against 419: /* Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam! */

__TOC__

===Who are the Artists?===
We are an international community of individuals dedicated to fighting advance fee "419" fraud and other online scams. Our goal is to educate the public about how dangerous it can be to trust a "company" just because they have a nice web site. We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users of fraudulent web sites. But most importantly, we continue to build relations with webhosting companies and registrars to get fraudulent web sites off the Internet.

Many people ask why we prefer to stay anonymous. The answer is simple: we prefer it if criminals don't know exactly who we are! When their web sites go offline, it costs them a great deal of time and money to explain to potential victims why the company, bank, lottery, or whatever, can't stay online. This tends to make them angry, and [[Fanmail|that anger is directed at us]] for "ruining their jobs". Some of our members have gotten threatening phone calls from angry criminals -- so now, for all of our safety, we hide our identities.

===What sort of sites are these "fake sites"? Are they really illegal?===
Fake sites are the infrastructure of advance fee fraud scams. (Wondering what advance fee fraud is? [[Advance Fee Fraud|Find out here]].) By posing as a legitimate financial institution, a bank site can add credibility to the story of a scammer. For example, Mariam Abacha might have deposited her millions of dollars with this "bank", and puts you in touch with the "banker" there to help transfer the money. Then, he is the one who will charge fees for various procedures, licenses, certificates, and so on.

In addition to trying to perpetrate fraud, these fake bankers violate numerous national and international laws just by posing as deposit-holding companies. Banks are ''required'' to be registered with the Financial Services Authority, Central Bank, or other regulatory agency in all countries in which they operate.

If you're curious about the difference between a fake bank and a phishing scam, please see our [[Phishing FAQ]].

===Why don't you report these sites?===
We do! Every site reported to us is investigated, and if it is proven false, we add it to our [http://db.aa419.org/ database,] we report it to the current Web site host, the police, and to other official bodies. The Artists want to stop Internet crime, and willingly cooperate with anyone who will help the fight.

===Why aren't these criminals arrested?===
The scammers hide behind false identities, use mobile phones and public Internet cafes to conduct their "business," are often ignored by corrupt local officials, and are well out of the jurisdiction of your local police force. The Artists do share information and work with law enforcement around the world whenever possible; however, the widespread international nature of 419 scams make invsetigation and prosecution difficult.

===What is a flash mob?===
Sometimes a Web host will ignore the evidence that a site is fake and refuse to act against it, although the existence of such a site is very often in clear violation of the host's own Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy. These sites can become the focus of a flash mob: an intense letter-writing campaign and in the past using other approaches, we seek to remind the host that these sites are fraudulent, created and operated by criminals solely for the purpose of deception. The intent is to create an anti-fraud message that the host can not ignore.

===How do you know that the site is fake?===
Banks are carefully regulated by different authorities around the world and the same is true for companies offering escrow services. Simply checking a site against a regulator's list is sufficient evidence to show that such a site is illegal. (Lotteries and many regular companies are subject to similar supervision, depending on the country.) One of our members has compiled [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World|an exhaustive list]] of financial (and company) regulators around the world. This is our one such resource for investigating potentially fake companies. A company claiming to sell and export commodities needs to be registered. A quick check can quickly expose a fake seller, or perhaps on spoofing a real company. There are many, many ''other'' indications that a site is probably fake; however, we prefer not to list them here, so the criminals will not learn how to disguise their fake banks better.

===How can I find out if a site is a fake?===
* Look through [https://db.aa419.org/ our database of fraudulent sites]. This is being constantly updated as new sites are identified and shut down. The gangs that create these sites often use the same business names, phone numbers, and designs on different sites.
* There are a number of [[Online search tools]] that you can use to research banks and other types of companies.
* If you have received an URL in e-mail and aren't sure about it, send it to us via our contact page. It might just be a fake we haven't found yet. '''Under no circumstances should you give money to someone just because someone has a web page, or you saw a Web page with your name on it!''' 

===I just won the lottery! ===
'''I have millions of dollars in the bank! I am getting a shipment of gold dust!'''

These are all typical [[Advance Fee Fraud]] scams. To find out more about advance fee fraud, see what Scotland Yard has to say: [http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm]

Also, see our links page which points to other resources about scams and scam-fighters.

The best rule of thumb you can follow is: if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Millions of dollars are lost every year by fraud victims, and this money is funneled back to the criminal gangs to fund their fraudulent activities. The fake sites we target are often paid for with stolen credit cards or victims' funds. Don't be a victim! Stop all communication with the scammers at once, and do not believe their stories.

===Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam!===
If you have already given money to a scammer, or suspect a scam, there are a number of sites that can help you:
*[https://www.scamsurvivors.com/ https://www.scamsurvivors.com/]
*[http://www.scamwarners.com/ http://www.scamwarners.com]
*[http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com]

Please be aware that the scammers will not rest: they will attempt to keep drawing money from you, using a variety of stories and tricks, including claiming that they can recover your lost funds. Scam victims are typically passed from gang member to gang member as each tries to work a new angle. The best thing you can do is stop all communication with them immediately. Block their emails, block their telephone numbers.

FAQ and Support

2023-02-12T19:53:52Z

Artists Against 419: /* How can I find out if a site is a fake? */

__TOC__

===Who are the Artists?===
We are an international community of individuals dedicated to fighting advance fee "419" fraud and other online scams. Our goal is to educate the public about how dangerous it can be to trust a "company" just because they have a nice web site. We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users of fraudulent web sites. But most importantly, we continue to build relations with webhosting companies and registrars to get fraudulent web sites off the Internet.

Many people ask why we prefer to stay anonymous. The answer is simple: we prefer it if criminals don't know exactly who we are! When their web sites go offline, it costs them a great deal of time and money to explain to potential victims why the company, bank, lottery, or whatever, can't stay online. This tends to make them angry, and [[Fanmail|that anger is directed at us]] for "ruining their jobs". Some of our members have gotten threatening phone calls from angry criminals -- so now, for all of our safety, we hide our identities.

===What sort of sites are these "fake sites"? Are they really illegal?===
Fake sites are the infrastructure of advance fee fraud scams. (Wondering what advance fee fraud is? [[Advance Fee Fraud|Find out here]].) By posing as a legitimate financial institution, a bank site can add credibility to the story of a scammer. For example, Mariam Abacha might have deposited her millions of dollars with this "bank", and puts you in touch with the "banker" there to help transfer the money. Then, he is the one who will charge fees for various procedures, licenses, certificates, and so on.

In addition to trying to perpetrate fraud, these fake bankers violate numerous national and international laws just by posing as deposit-holding companies. Banks are ''required'' to be registered with the Financial Services Authority, Central Bank, or other regulatory agency in all countries in which they operate.

If you're curious about the difference between a fake bank and a phishing scam, please see our [[Phishing FAQ]].

===Why don't you report these sites?===
We do! Every site reported to us is investigated, and if it is proven false, we add it to our [http://db.aa419.org/ database,] we report it to the current Web site host, the police, and to other official bodies. The Artists want to stop Internet crime, and willingly cooperate with anyone who will help the fight.

===Why aren't these criminals arrested?===
The scammers hide behind false identities, use mobile phones and public Internet cafes to conduct their "business," are often ignored by corrupt local officials, and are well out of the jurisdiction of your local police force. The Artists do share information and work with law enforcement around the world whenever possible; however, the widespread international nature of 419 scams make invsetigation and prosecution difficult.

===What is a flash mob?===
Sometimes a Web host will ignore the evidence that a site is fake and refuse to act against it, although the existence of such a site is very often in clear violation of the host's own Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy. These sites can become the focus of a flash mob: an intense letter-writing campaign and in the past using other approaches, we seek to remind the host that these sites are fraudulent, created and operated by criminals solely for the purpose of deception. The intent is to create an anti-fraud message that the host can not ignore.

===How do you know that the site is fake?===
Banks are carefully regulated by different authorities around the world and the same is true for companies offering escrow services. Simply checking a site against a regulator's list is sufficient evidence to show that such a site is illegal. (Lotteries and many regular companies are subject to similar supervision, depending on the country.) One of our members has compiled [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World|an exhaustive list]] of financial (and company) regulators around the world. This is our one such resource for investigating potentially fake companies. A company claiming to sell and export commodities needs to be registered. A quick check can quickly expose a fake seller, or perhaps on spoofing a real company. There are many, many ''other'' indications that a site is probably fake; however, we prefer not to list them here, so the criminals will not learn how to disguise their fake banks better.

===How can I find out if a site is a fake?===
* Look through [https://db.aa419.org/ our database of fraudulent sites]. This is being constantly updated as new sites are identified and shut down. The gangs that create these sites often use the same business names, phone numbers, and designs on different sites.
* There are a number of [[Online search tools]] that you can use to research banks and other types of companies.
* If you have received an URL in e-mail and aren't sure about it, send it to us via our contact page. It might just be a fake we haven't found yet. '''Under no circumstances should you give money to someone just because someone has a web page, or you saw a Web page with your name on it!''' 

===I just won the lottery! ===
'''I have millions of dollars in the bank! I am getting a shipment of gold dust!'''

These are all typical [[Advance Fee Fraud]] scams. To find out more about advance fee fraud, see what Scotland Yard has to say: [http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm]

Also, see our links page which points to other resources about scams and scam-fighters.

The best rule of thumb you can follow is: if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Millions of dollars are lost every year by fraud victims, and this money is funneled back to the criminal gangs to fund their fraudulent activities. The fake sites we target are often paid for with stolen credit cards or victims' funds. Don't be a victim! Stop all communication with the scammers at once, and do not believe their stories.

===Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam!===
If you have already given money to a scammer, or suspect a scam, there are a number of sites that can help you:
*[http://www.fraudaid.com/ http://www.fraudaid.com]
*[http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com]
*[http://www.fraudwatchers.org/ http://www.fraudwatchers.org]
*[http://www.scamwarners.com/ http://www.scamwarners.com]

Please be aware that the scammers will not rest: they will attempt to keep drawing money from you, using a variety of stories and tricks, including claiming that they can recover your lost funds. Scam victims are typically passed from gang member to gang member as each tries to work a new angle. The best thing you can do is stop all communication with them immediately.

FAQ and Support

2023-02-12T19:52:27Z

Artists Against 419: /* How do you know that the site is fake? */

__TOC__

===Who are the Artists?===
We are an international community of individuals dedicated to fighting advance fee "419" fraud and other online scams. Our goal is to educate the public about how dangerous it can be to trust a "company" just because they have a nice web site. We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users of fraudulent web sites. But most importantly, we continue to build relations with webhosting companies and registrars to get fraudulent web sites off the Internet.

Many people ask why we prefer to stay anonymous. The answer is simple: we prefer it if criminals don't know exactly who we are! When their web sites go offline, it costs them a great deal of time and money to explain to potential victims why the company, bank, lottery, or whatever, can't stay online. This tends to make them angry, and [[Fanmail|that anger is directed at us]] for "ruining their jobs". Some of our members have gotten threatening phone calls from angry criminals -- so now, for all of our safety, we hide our identities.

===What sort of sites are these "fake sites"? Are they really illegal?===
Fake sites are the infrastructure of advance fee fraud scams. (Wondering what advance fee fraud is? [[Advance Fee Fraud|Find out here]].) By posing as a legitimate financial institution, a bank site can add credibility to the story of a scammer. For example, Mariam Abacha might have deposited her millions of dollars with this "bank", and puts you in touch with the "banker" there to help transfer the money. Then, he is the one who will charge fees for various procedures, licenses, certificates, and so on.

In addition to trying to perpetrate fraud, these fake bankers violate numerous national and international laws just by posing as deposit-holding companies. Banks are ''required'' to be registered with the Financial Services Authority, Central Bank, or other regulatory agency in all countries in which they operate.

If you're curious about the difference between a fake bank and a phishing scam, please see our [[Phishing FAQ]].

===Why don't you report these sites?===
We do! Every site reported to us is investigated, and if it is proven false, we add it to our [http://db.aa419.org/ database,] we report it to the current Web site host, the police, and to other official bodies. The Artists want to stop Internet crime, and willingly cooperate with anyone who will help the fight.

===Why aren't these criminals arrested?===
The scammers hide behind false identities, use mobile phones and public Internet cafes to conduct their "business," are often ignored by corrupt local officials, and are well out of the jurisdiction of your local police force. The Artists do share information and work with law enforcement around the world whenever possible; however, the widespread international nature of 419 scams make invsetigation and prosecution difficult.

===What is a flash mob?===
Sometimes a Web host will ignore the evidence that a site is fake and refuse to act against it, although the existence of such a site is very often in clear violation of the host's own Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy. These sites can become the focus of a flash mob: an intense letter-writing campaign and in the past using other approaches, we seek to remind the host that these sites are fraudulent, created and operated by criminals solely for the purpose of deception. The intent is to create an anti-fraud message that the host can not ignore.

===How do you know that the site is fake?===
Banks are carefully regulated by different authorities around the world and the same is true for companies offering escrow services. Simply checking a site against a regulator's list is sufficient evidence to show that such a site is illegal. (Lotteries and many regular companies are subject to similar supervision, depending on the country.) One of our members has compiled [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World|an exhaustive list]] of financial (and company) regulators around the world. This is our one such resource for investigating potentially fake companies. A company claiming to sell and export commodities needs to be registered. A quick check can quickly expose a fake seller, or perhaps on spoofing a real company. There are many, many ''other'' indications that a site is probably fake; however, we prefer not to list them here, so the criminals will not learn how to disguise their fake banks better.

===How can I find out if a site is a fake?===
* Look through [http://db.aa419.org/ our database of fraudulent sites]. This is being constantly updated as new sites are identified and shut down. The gangs that create these sites often use the same business names, phone numbers, and designs on different sites.
* There are a number of [[Online search tools]] that you can use to research banks and other types of companies.
* If you have received an URL in e-mail and aren't sure about it, send it to us via our contact page. It might just be a fake we haven't found yet. '''Under no circumstances should you give money to someone just because you saw a Web page with your name on it!''' 

===I just won the lottery! ===
'''I have millions of dollars in the bank! I am getting a shipment of gold dust!'''

These are all typical [[Advance Fee Fraud]] scams. To find out more about advance fee fraud, see what Scotland Yard has to say: [http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm]

Also, see our links page which points to other resources about scams and scam-fighters.

The best rule of thumb you can follow is: if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Millions of dollars are lost every year by fraud victims, and this money is funneled back to the criminal gangs to fund their fraudulent activities. The fake sites we target are often paid for with stolen credit cards or victims' funds. Don't be a victim! Stop all communication with the scammers at once, and do not believe their stories.

===Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam!===
If you have already given money to a scammer, or suspect a scam, there are a number of sites that can help you:
*[http://www.fraudaid.com/ http://www.fraudaid.com]
*[http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com]
*[http://www.fraudwatchers.org/ http://www.fraudwatchers.org]
*[http://www.scamwarners.com/ http://www.scamwarners.com]

Please be aware that the scammers will not rest: they will attempt to keep drawing money from you, using a variety of stories and tricks, including claiming that they can recover your lost funds. Scam victims are typically passed from gang member to gang member as each tries to work a new angle. The best thing you can do is stop all communication with them immediately.

FAQ and Support

2023-02-12T19:49:45Z

Artists Against 419: /* Why don't you report these sites? */

__TOC__

===Who are the Artists?===
We are an international community of individuals dedicated to fighting advance fee "419" fraud and other online scams. Our goal is to educate the public about how dangerous it can be to trust a "company" just because they have a nice web site. We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users of fraudulent web sites. But most importantly, we continue to build relations with webhosting companies and registrars to get fraudulent web sites off the Internet.

Many people ask why we prefer to stay anonymous. The answer is simple: we prefer it if criminals don't know exactly who we are! When their web sites go offline, it costs them a great deal of time and money to explain to potential victims why the company, bank, lottery, or whatever, can't stay online. This tends to make them angry, and [[Fanmail|that anger is directed at us]] for "ruining their jobs". Some of our members have gotten threatening phone calls from angry criminals -- so now, for all of our safety, we hide our identities.

===What sort of sites are these "fake sites"? Are they really illegal?===
Fake sites are the infrastructure of advance fee fraud scams. (Wondering what advance fee fraud is? [[Advance Fee Fraud|Find out here]].) By posing as a legitimate financial institution, a bank site can add credibility to the story of a scammer. For example, Mariam Abacha might have deposited her millions of dollars with this "bank", and puts you in touch with the "banker" there to help transfer the money. Then, he is the one who will charge fees for various procedures, licenses, certificates, and so on.

In addition to trying to perpetrate fraud, these fake bankers violate numerous national and international laws just by posing as deposit-holding companies. Banks are ''required'' to be registered with the Financial Services Authority, Central Bank, or other regulatory agency in all countries in which they operate.

If you're curious about the difference between a fake bank and a phishing scam, please see our [[Phishing FAQ]].

===Why don't you report these sites?===
We do! Every site reported to us is investigated, and if it is proven false, we add it to our [http://db.aa419.org/ database,] we report it to the current Web site host, the police, and to other official bodies. The Artists want to stop Internet crime, and willingly cooperate with anyone who will help the fight.

===Why aren't these criminals arrested?===
The scammers hide behind false identities, use mobile phones and public Internet cafes to conduct their "business," are often ignored by corrupt local officials, and are well out of the jurisdiction of your local police force. The Artists do share information and work with law enforcement around the world whenever possible; however, the widespread international nature of 419 scams make invsetigation and prosecution difficult.

===What is a flash mob?===
Sometimes a Web host will ignore the evidence that a site is fake and refuse to act against it, although the existence of such a site is very often in clear violation of the host's own Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy. These sites can become the focus of a flash mob: an intense letter-writing campaign and in the past using other approaches, we seek to remind the host that these sites are fraudulent, created and operated by criminals solely for the purpose of deception. The intent is to create an anti-fraud message that the host can not ignore.

===How do you know that the site is fake?===
Banks are carefully regulated by different authorities around the world and the same is true for companies offering escrow services. Simply checking a site against a regulator's list is sufficient evidence to show that such a site is illegal. (Lotteries and many regular companies are subject to similar supervision, depending on the country.) One of our members has compiled [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World|an exhaustive list]] of financial (and company) regulators around the world. This is our primary resource for investigating potentially fake companies. There are many, many ''other'' indications that a site is probably fake; however, we prefer not to list them here, so the criminals will not learn how to disguise their fake banks better.

===How can I find out if a site is a fake?===
* Look through [http://db.aa419.org/ our database of fraudulent sites]. This is being constantly updated as new sites are identified and shut down. The gangs that create these sites often use the same business names, phone numbers, and designs on different sites.
* There are a number of [[Online search tools]] that you can use to research banks and other types of companies.
* If you have received an URL in e-mail and aren't sure about it, send it to us via our contact page. It might just be a fake we haven't found yet. '''Under no circumstances should you give money to someone just because you saw a Web page with your name on it!''' 

===I just won the lottery! ===
'''I have millions of dollars in the bank! I am getting a shipment of gold dust!'''

These are all typical [[Advance Fee Fraud]] scams. To find out more about advance fee fraud, see what Scotland Yard has to say: [http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm]

Also, see our links page which points to other resources about scams and scam-fighters.

The best rule of thumb you can follow is: if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Millions of dollars are lost every year by fraud victims, and this money is funneled back to the criminal gangs to fund their fraudulent activities. The fake sites we target are often paid for with stolen credit cards or victims' funds. Don't be a victim! Stop all communication with the scammers at once, and do not believe their stories.

===Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam!===
If you have already given money to a scammer, or suspect a scam, there are a number of sites that can help you:
*[http://www.fraudaid.com/ http://www.fraudaid.com]
*[http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com]
*[http://www.fraudwatchers.org/ http://www.fraudwatchers.org]
*[http://www.scamwarners.com/ http://www.scamwarners.com]

Please be aware that the scammers will not rest: they will attempt to keep drawing money from you, using a variety of stories and tricks, including claiming that they can recover your lost funds. Scam victims are typically passed from gang member to gang member as each tries to work a new angle. The best thing you can do is stop all communication with them immediately.

FAQ and Support

2023-02-12T19:47:54Z

Artists Against 419: /* What sort of sites are these "fake sites"? Are they really illegal? */

__TOC__

===Who are the Artists?===
We are an international community of individuals dedicated to fighting advance fee "419" fraud and other online scams. Our goal is to educate the public about how dangerous it can be to trust a "company" just because they have a nice web site. We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users of fraudulent web sites. But most importantly, we continue to build relations with webhosting companies and registrars to get fraudulent web sites off the Internet.

Many people ask why we prefer to stay anonymous. The answer is simple: we prefer it if criminals don't know exactly who we are! When their web sites go offline, it costs them a great deal of time and money to explain to potential victims why the company, bank, lottery, or whatever, can't stay online. This tends to make them angry, and [[Fanmail|that anger is directed at us]] for "ruining their jobs". Some of our members have gotten threatening phone calls from angry criminals -- so now, for all of our safety, we hide our identities.

===What sort of sites are these "fake sites"? Are they really illegal?===
Fake sites are the infrastructure of advance fee fraud scams. (Wondering what advance fee fraud is? [[Advance Fee Fraud|Find out here]].) By posing as a legitimate financial institution, a bank site can add credibility to the story of a scammer. For example, Mariam Abacha might have deposited her millions of dollars with this "bank", and puts you in touch with the "banker" there to help transfer the money. Then, he is the one who will charge fees for various procedures, licenses, certificates, and so on.

In addition to trying to perpetrate fraud, these fake bankers violate numerous national and international laws just by posing as deposit-holding companies. Banks are ''required'' to be registered with the Financial Services Authority, Central Bank, or other regulatory agency in all countries in which they operate.

If you're curious about the difference between a fake bank and a phishing scam, please see our [[Phishing FAQ]].

===Why don't you report these sites?===
We do! Every site reported to us is investigated, and if it is proven false, we add it to our [http://db.aa419.org/ database,] and report it to the current Web site host, the police, and to other official bodies. The Artists want to stop Internet crime, and willingly cooperate with anyone who will help the fight. Over 95% of the fake sites that we find and report are taken down by the hosts without incident.

===Why aren't these criminals arrested?===
The scammers hide behind false identities, use mobile phones and public Internet cafes to conduct their "business," are often ignored by corrupt local officials, and are well out of the jurisdiction of your local police force. The Artists do share information and work with law enforcement around the world whenever possible; however, the widespread international nature of 419 scams make invsetigation and prosecution difficult.

===What is a flash mob?===
Sometimes a Web host will ignore the evidence that a site is fake and refuse to act against it, although the existence of such a site is very often in clear violation of the host's own Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy. These sites can become the focus of a flash mob: an intense letter-writing campaign and in the past using other approaches, we seek to remind the host that these sites are fraudulent, created and operated by criminals solely for the purpose of deception. The intent is to create an anti-fraud message that the host can not ignore.

===How do you know that the site is fake?===
Banks are carefully regulated by different authorities around the world and the same is true for companies offering escrow services. Simply checking a site against a regulator's list is sufficient evidence to show that such a site is illegal. (Lotteries and many regular companies are subject to similar supervision, depending on the country.) One of our members has compiled [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World|an exhaustive list]] of financial (and company) regulators around the world. This is our primary resource for investigating potentially fake companies. There are many, many ''other'' indications that a site is probably fake; however, we prefer not to list them here, so the criminals will not learn how to disguise their fake banks better.

===How can I find out if a site is a fake?===
* Look through [http://db.aa419.org/ our database of fraudulent sites]. This is being constantly updated as new sites are identified and shut down. The gangs that create these sites often use the same business names, phone numbers, and designs on different sites.
* There are a number of [[Online search tools]] that you can use to research banks and other types of companies.
* If you have received an URL in e-mail and aren't sure about it, send it to us via our contact page. It might just be a fake we haven't found yet. '''Under no circumstances should you give money to someone just because you saw a Web page with your name on it!''' 

===I just won the lottery! ===
'''I have millions of dollars in the bank! I am getting a shipment of gold dust!'''

These are all typical [[Advance Fee Fraud]] scams. To find out more about advance fee fraud, see what Scotland Yard has to say: [http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm]

Also, see our links page which points to other resources about scams and scam-fighters.

The best rule of thumb you can follow is: if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Millions of dollars are lost every year by fraud victims, and this money is funneled back to the criminal gangs to fund their fraudulent activities. The fake sites we target are often paid for with stolen credit cards or victims' funds. Don't be a victim! Stop all communication with the scammers at once, and do not believe their stories.

===Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam!===
If you have already given money to a scammer, or suspect a scam, there are a number of sites that can help you:
*[http://www.fraudaid.com/ http://www.fraudaid.com]
*[http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com]
*[http://www.fraudwatchers.org/ http://www.fraudwatchers.org]
*[http://www.scamwarners.com/ http://www.scamwarners.com]

Please be aware that the scammers will not rest: they will attempt to keep drawing money from you, using a variety of stories and tricks, including claiming that they can recover your lost funds. Scam victims are typically passed from gang member to gang member as each tries to work a new angle. The best thing you can do is stop all communication with them immediately.

FAQ and Support

2023-02-12T19:46:11Z

Artists Against 419: /* Who are the Artists? */

__TOC__

===Who are the Artists?===
We are an international community of individuals dedicated to fighting advance fee "419" fraud and other online scams. Our goal is to educate the public about how dangerous it can be to trust a "company" just because they have a nice web site. We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users of fraudulent web sites. But most importantly, we continue to build relations with webhosting companies and registrars to get fraudulent web sites off the Internet.

Many people ask why we prefer to stay anonymous. The answer is simple: we prefer it if criminals don't know exactly who we are! When their web sites go offline, it costs them a great deal of time and money to explain to potential victims why the company, bank, lottery, or whatever, can't stay online. This tends to make them angry, and [[Fanmail|that anger is directed at us]] for "ruining their jobs". Some of our members have gotten threatening phone calls from angry criminals -- so now, for all of our safety, we hide our identities.

===What sort of sites are these "fake banks"? Are they really illegal?===
Fake banks are the infrastructure of advance fee fraud scams. (Wondering what advance fee fraud is? [[Advance Fee Fraud|Find out here]].) By posing as a legitimate financial institution, a bank site can adds credibility to the story of a scammer. For example, Mariam Abacha might have deposited her millions of dollars with this "bank", and puts you in touch with the "banker" there to help transfer the money. Then, he is the one who will charge fees for various procedures, licenses, certificates, and so on.

In addition to trying to perpetrate fraud, these fake bankers violate numerous national and international laws just by posing as deposit-holding companies. Banks are ''required'' to be registered with the Financial Services Authority, Central Bank, or other regulatory agency in all countries in which they operate.

If you're curious about the difference between a fake bank and a phishing scam, please see our [[Phishing FAQ]].

===Why don't you report these sites?===
We do! Every site reported to us is investigated, and if it is proven false, we add it to our [http://db.aa419.org/ database,] and report it to the current Web site host, the police, and to other official bodies. The Artists want to stop Internet crime, and willingly cooperate with anyone who will help the fight. Over 95% of the fake sites that we find and report are taken down by the hosts without incident.

===Why aren't these criminals arrested?===
The scammers hide behind false identities, use mobile phones and public Internet cafes to conduct their "business," are often ignored by corrupt local officials, and are well out of the jurisdiction of your local police force. The Artists do share information and work with law enforcement around the world whenever possible; however, the widespread international nature of 419 scams make invsetigation and prosecution difficult.

===What is a flash mob?===
Sometimes a Web host will ignore the evidence that a site is fake and refuse to act against it, although the existence of such a site is very often in clear violation of the host's own Terms of Service or Acceptable Use Policy. These sites can become the focus of a flash mob: an intense letter-writing campaign and in the past using other approaches, we seek to remind the host that these sites are fraudulent, created and operated by criminals solely for the purpose of deception. The intent is to create an anti-fraud message that the host can not ignore.

===How do you know that the site is fake?===
Banks are carefully regulated by different authorities around the world and the same is true for companies offering escrow services. Simply checking a site against a regulator's list is sufficient evidence to show that such a site is illegal. (Lotteries and many regular companies are subject to similar supervision, depending on the country.) One of our members has compiled [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World|an exhaustive list]] of financial (and company) regulators around the world. This is our primary resource for investigating potentially fake companies. There are many, many ''other'' indications that a site is probably fake; however, we prefer not to list them here, so the criminals will not learn how to disguise their fake banks better.

===How can I find out if a site is a fake?===
* Look through [http://db.aa419.org/ our database of fraudulent sites]. This is being constantly updated as new sites are identified and shut down. The gangs that create these sites often use the same business names, phone numbers, and designs on different sites.
* There are a number of [[Online search tools]] that you can use to research banks and other types of companies.
* If you have received an URL in e-mail and aren't sure about it, send it to us via our contact page. It might just be a fake we haven't found yet. '''Under no circumstances should you give money to someone just because you saw a Web page with your name on it!''' 

===I just won the lottery! ===
'''I have millions of dollars in the bank! I am getting a shipment of gold dust!'''

These are all typical [[Advance Fee Fraud]] scams. To find out more about advance fee fraud, see what Scotland Yard has to say: [http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm]

Also, see our links page which points to other resources about scams and scam-fighters.

The best rule of thumb you can follow is: if it sounds too good to be true, it is! Millions of dollars are lost every year by fraud victims, and this money is funneled back to the criminal gangs to fund their fraudulent activities. The fake sites we target are often paid for with stolen credit cards or victims' funds. Don't be a victim! Stop all communication with the scammers at once, and do not believe their stories.

===Help! I think I'm being scammed! I lost money in a scam!===
If you have already given money to a scammer, or suspect a scam, there are a number of sites that can help you:
*[http://www.fraudaid.com/ http://www.fraudaid.com]
*[http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com]
*[http://www.fraudwatchers.org/ http://www.fraudwatchers.org]
*[http://www.scamwarners.com/ http://www.scamwarners.com]

Please be aware that the scammers will not rest: they will attempt to keep drawing money from you, using a variety of stories and tricks, including claiming that they can recover your lost funds. Scam victims are typically passed from gang member to gang member as each tries to work a new angle. The best thing you can do is stop all communication with them immediately.

Main Page

2023-02-12T19:44:32Z

Artists Against 419: /* Welcome to Artists Against 419 */

== Welcome to Artists Against 419 ==

The Internet is great, isn't it? It's a magical place, where you can buy anything you want, meet new people, find information... and lose all your money to scammers.

We've never liked that last part, so we started to fight back. [[History|Over time]] our art has evolved, and we now maintain the largest manually researched online repository of web sites used in internet fraud.

We offer a [https://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[JSON_API|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake site entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users that a site they visit is a fake company run by scammers. But most importantly, we continue to build better relations with other anti-fraud organizations and webhosting companies, to pursue our goal of ridding the Internet of fraudulent web sites.

==== Related pages ====
* [[FAQ and Support]]
* [[Advance Fee Fraud|What is 419?]]
* Is this a legit site? Use some [[Online search tools]] to help identify fraud
* [[Links]] to other sites
* [[Fanmail]]
* [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World]]

==Announcement: Anti Phishing Working Group==

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.apwg.org|https://wiki.aa419.org/images/apwg_logo.gif}}
</div>

We believe that open communication between all companies and groups involved in the fight against internet fraud is the only way to combat it.

To that end, the Artists Against 419 are proud to announce their membership of the Anti Phishing Working Group (APWG), and look forward to co-operating with its many members. Our main focus of work will remain fake websites used in Advance Fee fraud, but we aim to share our knowledge where possible.

For more information on the APWG, please click on their logo above.

==WHOXY==
[https://www.whoxy.com/ WHOXY] is a great tool to research a domain's history or the behavior of a registrant. Much as some parties would like to describe WHOIS data as privacy invasive, the reality is it allows transparency to consumer and commerce alike and, if used correctly, is rather a stepping stone to consumer trust protecting both consumer and service provider alike. It also allows researchers and consumers to research issues that undermines the legitimate internet, avoiding and/or addressing them. WHOXY is a great tool for this purpose and a must in your bookmarks or toolkit.

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.whoxy.com/|https:////whoxy.s3.amazonaws.com/x.png}}
</div>

JSON API

2022-12-30T14:57:34Z

Artists Against 419: /* Obtaining access */

== JSON API ==

The aa419 Webservice Project is to provide automated access to our Fake Site Database. Our JSON API is a way for computer programs to read our database. Computer programs with a webservice interface can access and read from data from our database. Its intended use is to enable webmasters of anti-advance fee fraud websites to provide up-to-date lists and a search functionality of fake sites on their own respective websites. It's a way for webhosting companies, registrars, registries and for other interested parties (including Law Enforcement Agencies) to automate the search for fraudulent domains or to embed the aa419 database into their particular application. Our JSON API access is open to anyone who needs information about fraudulent entities in a more structured way than the public web-interface offers.

=== Obtaining access ===

To access our API is simple.

* Register an account on the Artists Against 419 database page at https://db.aa419.org/ under the Login tab.
* Confirm the account in the email that is sent.
* Login into the Artists Against 419 database.
* Click on the '''your account''' tab.
* Note your unique '''Auth-API-Id''' 32 aplhanumeric character string.

=== Using the JSON API ===

The documentation on the current methods is dynamically generated. While logged into the Artists Against 419 database, visit https://db.aa419.org/api.php to obtain the current documentation.
A copy of this output dated 2022/02/05 can be found at https://www.aa419.org/jsonapi/

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2022-12-30T14:55:04Z

Artists Against 419:

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2022-12-30T14:54:36Z

Artists Against 419:

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2022-12-30T14:48:04Z

Artists Against 419:

JSON API

2022-12-30T14:45:52Z

Artists Against 419: /* Using the JSON API */

== JSON API ==

The aa419 Webservice Project is to provide automated access to our Fake Site Database. Our JSON API is a way for computer programs to read our database. Computer programs with a webservice interface can access and read from data from our database. Its intended use is to enable webmasters of anti-advance fee fraud websites to provide up-to-date lists and a search functionality of fake sites on their own respective websites. It's a way for webhosting companies, registrars, registries and for other interested parties (including Law Enforcement Agencies) to automate the search for fraudulent domains or to embed the aa419 database into their particular application. Our JSON API access is open to anyone who needs information about fraudulent entities in a more structured way than the public web-interface offers.

=== Obtaining access ===

To access our API is simple.

* Register an account on the Artists Against 419 database page.
* Confirm the account in the email that is sent.
* Login into the Artists Against 419 database.
* Click on the your account tab.
* Note your unique Auth-API-Id 32 aplhanumeric character string.

=== Using the JSON API ===

The documentation on the current methods is dynamically generated. While logged into the Artists Against 419 database, visit https://db.aa419.org/api.php to obtain the current documentation.
A copy of this output dated 2022/02/05 can be found at https://www.aa419.org/jsonapi/

JSON API

2022-12-30T14:45:19Z

Artists Against 419: Getting started with the Artists Against 419 JSON API

== JSON API ==

The aa419 Webservice Project is to provide automated access to our Fake Site Database. Our JSON API is a way for computer programs to read our database. Computer programs with a webservice interface can access and read from data from our database. Its intended use is to enable webmasters of anti-advance fee fraud websites to provide up-to-date lists and a search functionality of fake sites on their own respective websites. It's a way for webhosting companies, registrars, registries and for other interested parties (including Law Enforcement Agencies) to automate the search for fraudulent domains or to embed the aa419 database into their particular application. Our JSON API access is open to anyone who needs information about fraudulent entities in a more structured way than the public web-interface offers.

=== Obtaining access ===

To access our API is simple.

* Register an account on the Artists Against 419 database page.
* Confirm the account in the email that is sent.
* Login into the Artists Against 419 database.
* Click on the your account tab.
* Note your unique Auth-API-Id 32 aplhanumeric character string.

=== Using the JSON API ===

The documentation on the current methods is dynamically generated. While logged into the Artists Against 419 database, visit https://db.aa419.org/api.php to obtain the current documentation.
A copy of this output dated 2022/02/05 can be found at http://www.aa419.org/jsonapi/

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2018-10-27T17:19:36Z

Artists Against 419:

Links

2018-08-07T20:31:21Z

Artists Against 419: /* Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information */

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [https://scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors] Free, non judgmental help and advice for those scammed online.
* [http://www.fakechecks.org FakeChecks] Excellent site for education and reporting of telemarketing and fake check fraud
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://www.stopfraud.gov/protect-securities.html Investment Fraud] Information and advice on Ponzi's, MLM, HYIP's and other types of fraud.
* [http://www.oil-offshore-marine.com/bewarejobscams.php Oil Offshore Marine] Info on job scams related to the oil and gas industry
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

If you have been defrauded, please report it to your local authorities. The below links may assist stopping other consumers getting defrauded.

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

Links

2018-08-07T20:26:55Z

Artists Against 419: /* Art and Artists */

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [http://www.fakechecks.org FakeChecks] Excellent site for education and reporting of telemarketing and fake check fraud
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://www.stopfraud.gov/protect-securities.html Investment Fraud] Information and advice on Ponzi's, MLM, HYIP's and other types of fraud.
* [http://www.oil-offshore-marine.com/bewarejobscams.php Oil Offshore Marine] Info on job scams related to the oil and gas industry
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

If you have been defrauded, please report it to your local authorities. The below links may assist stopping other consumers getting defrauded.

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

Links

2018-08-07T20:23:49Z

Artists Against 419: /* Law Enforcement Contacts */

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [http://www.fakechecks.org FakeChecks] Excellent site for education and reporting of telemarketing and fake check fraud
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://www.stopfraud.gov/protect-securities.html Investment Fraud] Information and advice on Ponzi's, MLM, HYIP's and other types of fraud.
* [http://www.oil-offshore-marine.com/bewarejobscams.php Oil Offshore Marine] Info on job scams related to the oil and gas industry
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

If you have been defrauded, please report it to your local authorities. The below links may assist stopping other consumers getting defrauded.

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/sam/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://odili.net/culture.html NigeriaWEB] - Web sites dedicated to the Arts and culture of the Nigerian people
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

Links

2018-08-07T20:22:50Z

Artists Against 419: /* Law Enforcement Contacts */

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [http://www.fakechecks.org FakeChecks] Excellent site for education and reporting of telemarketing and fake check fraud
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://www.stopfraud.gov/protect-securities.html Investment Fraud] Information and advice on Ponzi's, MLM, HYIP's and other types of fraud.
* [http://www.oil-offshore-marine.com/bewarejobscams.php Oil Offshore Marine] Info on job scams related to the oil and gas industry
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

If you have been defrauded, please report it to your local authorities. The below links may assist in stopping this fraud and stop other consumers getting defrauded.

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/sam/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://odili.net/culture.html NigeriaWEB] - Web sites dedicated to the Arts and culture of the Nigerian people
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

Links

2018-08-07T19:56:43Z

Artists Against 419: /* Law Enforcement Contacts */

== Advance Fee and Other Online Fraud Information ==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud Advance Fee Fraud] Basics on this confidence scam.
* [http://www.fakechecks.org FakeChecks] Excellent site for education and reporting of telemarketing and fake check fraud
* [http://www.scamorama.com/ Scam-O-Rama] - The letters posted here illustrate unsuccessful attempts at advance fee fraud.
* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419scam.htm Joe Wein's Site]-419 Scam Information -search scammer email database.
* [http://www.romancescams.org Romance Scams] - Resource on Romance Scams
* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater]-Scambaiting humor from the UK
* [http://www.stopfraud.gov/protect-securities.html Investment Fraud] Information and advice on Ponzi's, MLM, HYIP's and other types of fraud.
* [http://www.oil-offshore-marine.com/bewarejobscams.php Oil Offshore Marine] Info on job scams related to the oil and gas industry
* [http://forum.escrow-fraud.com/index.php Escrow-Fraud.com] - Site which specializes in fighting fake escrow and courier sites. Gallery of screenshots shows dozens of common templates.
* [http://www.scamomatic.com Scamomatic] - Is this email a scam?

== Scam Victim Assistance ==

* [http://www.scamsurvivors.com/ Scam Survivors]

== Law Enforcement Contacts ==

Use these links to report a scam or scammer!
* [http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre]
* [https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Internet Crime Complaint Center-United States]
* [https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ U.S. Postal Inspection Service]
* [https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ ActionFraud UK]
* [https://www.ejpd.admin.ch/ejpd/en/home.html Cybercrime Coordination Unit Switzerland]
* [https://efccnigeria.org/efcc// Economic and Financial Crimes Commission-Nigeria]
* [https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/ SCAM Watch-Australia]
* [https://digitalpolice.gov.in/ncr/State_Selection.aspx Digital Police India]
* [http://pctc.gov.ph/ Philippine Centre on Transnational Crime]
* [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/02_er_room/cif.html Hong Kong]
* [https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/scamwatch Scamwatch New Zealand]
* [https://www.mcmc.gov.my/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint MCMC Malaysia]

== Art and Artists ==
* [http://www.iziko.org.za/sam/ Iziko] - Iziko-South African Museum
* [http://odili.net/culture.html NigeriaWEB] - Web sites dedicated to the Arts and culture of the Nigerian people
* [http://www.artpropaganda.com/ St. Petersburg Art Project] Multi-Cultural Artistic Community Building Project
* [http://www.mnac.ro/ National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest Romania] Located in The House of the People or Ceaucescu's Palace, the second largest building in the world.
* [http://americanart.si.edu Smithsonian American Art Museum]
* [http://www.aiga.org American Institute of Graphic Art]

Advance Fee Fraud

2018-06-06T19:06:22Z

Artists Against 419:

Main Page

2017-12-17T20:58:08Z

Artists Against 419: /* WHOXY */

== Welcome to Artists Against 419 ==

The Internet is great, isn't it? It's a magical place, where you can buy anything you want, meet new people, find information... and lose all your money to scammers.

We've never liked that last part, so we started to fight back. [[History|Over time]] our art has evolved, and we now maintain the largest online repository of web sites used in internet fraud.

We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[SOAP|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake bank entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users that a site they visit is a fake company run by scammers. But most importantly, we continue to build better relations with other anti-fraud organizations and webhosting companies, to pursue our goal of ridding the Internet of fraudulent web sites.

==== Related pages ====
* [[FAQ and Support]]
* [[Advance Fee Fraud|What is 419?]]
* Is this a legit site? Use some [[Online search tools]] to help identify fraud
* [[Links]] to other sites
* [[Fanmail]]
* [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World]]

==Announcement: Anti Phishing Working Group==

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.apwg.org|https://wiki.aa419.org/images/apwg_logo.gif}}
</div>

We believe that open communication between all companies and groups involved in the fight against internet fraud is the only way to combat it.

To that end, the Artists Against 419 are proud to announce their membership of the Anti Phishing Working Group (APWG), and look forward to co-operating with its many members. Our main focus of work will remain fake websites used in Advance Fee fraud, but we aim to share our knowledge where possible.

For more information on the APWG, please click on their logo above.

==WHOXY==
[https://www.whoxy.com/ WHOXY] is a great tool to research a domain's history or the behavior of a registrant. Much as some parties would like to describe WHOIS data as privacy invasive, the reality is it allows transparency to consumer and commerce alike and, if used correctly, is rather a stepping stone to consumer trust protecting both consumer and service provider alike. It also allows researchers and consumers to research issues that undermines the legitimate internet, avoiding and/or addressing them. WHOXY is a great tool for this purpose and a must in your bookmarks or toolkit.

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.whoxy.com/|https:////whoxy.s3.amazonaws.com/x.png}}
</div>

Main Page

2017-12-17T20:21:04Z

Artists Against 419: /* Announcement: Copyscape */

== Welcome to Artists Against 419 ==

The Internet is great, isn't it? It's a magical place, where you can buy anything you want, meet new people, find information... and lose all your money to scammers.

We've never liked that last part, so we started to fight back. [[History|Over time]] our art has evolved, and we now maintain the largest online repository of web sites used in internet fraud.

We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[SOAP|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake bank entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users that a site they visit is a fake company run by scammers. But most importantly, we continue to build better relations with other anti-fraud organizations and webhosting companies, to pursue our goal of ridding the Internet of fraudulent web sites.

==== Related pages ====
* [[FAQ and Support]]
* [[Advance Fee Fraud|What is 419?]]
* Is this a legit site? Use some [[Online search tools]] to help identify fraud
* [[Links]] to other sites
* [[Fanmail]]
* [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World]]

==Announcement: Anti Phishing Working Group==

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.apwg.org|https://wiki.aa419.org/images/apwg_logo.gif}}
</div>

We believe that open communication between all companies and groups involved in the fight against internet fraud is the only way to combat it.

To that end, the Artists Against 419 are proud to announce their membership of the Anti Phishing Working Group (APWG), and look forward to co-operating with its many members. Our main focus of work will remain fake websites used in Advance Fee fraud, but we aim to share our knowledge where possible.

For more information on the APWG, please click on their logo above.

==WHOXY==
[https://www.whoxy.com/ WHOXY] is a great tool to research a domain's history or the behavior of a registrant. Much as some parties would like to describe WHOIS data as privacy invasive, the reality is it allows transparency to consumer and commerce alike and, if used correctly and is rather a stepping stone to consumer trust. It also allows researchers and consumers alike to research issues that undermines the legitimate internet, avoiding and/or addressing them. WHOXY is a great tool for this purpose and a must in your bookmarks or toolkit.

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.whoxy.com/|https:////whoxy.s3.amazonaws.com/x.png}}
</div>

Main Page

2017-05-24T22:06:30Z

Artists Against 419:

== Welcome to Artists Against 419 ==

The Internet is great, isn't it? It's a magical place, where you can buy anything you want, meet new people, find information... and lose all your money to scammers.

We've never liked that last part, so we started to fight back. [[History|Over time]] our art has evolved, and we now maintain the largest online repository of web sites used in internet fraud.

We offer a [http://db.aa419.org/ complete public interface] for our site visitors, as well as [[SOAP|database access through webservices]] which can be used for automated retrieval of fake bank entries. Web browser toolbars use our database feed to warn users that a site they visit is a fake company run by scammers. But most importantly, we continue to build better relations with other anti-fraud organizations and webhosting companies, to pursue our goal of ridding the Internet of fraudulent web sites.

==== Related pages ====
* [[FAQ and Support]]
* [[Advance Fee Fraud|What is 419?]]
* Is this a legit site? Use some [[Online search tools]] to help identify fraud
* [[Links]] to other sites
* [[Fanmail]]
* [[Old Coaster's List of Bank Regulators around the World]]

==Announcement: Anti Phishing Working Group==

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|https://www.apwg.org|https://wiki.aa419.org/images/apwg_logo.gif}}
</div>

We believe that open communication between all companies and groups involved in the fight against internet fraud is the only way to combat it.

To that end, the Artists Against 419 are proud to announce their membership of the Anti Phishing Working Group (APWG), and look forward to co-operating with its many members. Our main focus of work will remain fake websites used in Advance Fee fraud, but we aim to share our knowledge where possible.

For more information on the APWG, please click on their logo above.

==Announcement: Copyscape==
[http://www.copyscape.com Copyscape] is an excellent set of tools for finding plagiarized content. Many website owners only learn that their online content has been stolen and is being used in fraud, once we alert them. Regardless of whether you are a causal online shopper wishing to verify the authenticity of an online service using Copyscape's [http://www.copyscape.com/ free plagiarism checker], an investigator using [http://copyscape.com/premium.php Copyscape Premium] or a business owner using [http://copyscape.com/copysentry.php Copysentry], Copyscape is a must in your bookmarks.

<div align="center">
{{clickpic|http://www.copyscape.com|https://wiki.aa419.org/images/copyscape-logo-small.png}}
</div>

SOAP

2017-03-11T18:16:11Z

Artists Against 419:

==== Notice ====
These methods are under review and is being redeveloped and upgraded while retaining compatibility

The '''aa419 Webservice Project''' is to provide automated access to our [http://db.aa419.org Fake Site Database]. SOAP is a way for computer programs to read our database as opposed to humans would. Computer programs with webservices interface can access and read from our database. Its intended use is to enable webmasters of anti-419 websites to provide up-to-date lists and a search functionality of fake sites on their own respective websites. It's a way for webhosting companies and for other interested parties (including Law Enforcement Agencies) to automate the search for fake banks or to embed the aa419 database into their particular application. Our SOAP access is open for anyone who needs information about fake banks in a more structured way than the [http://db.aa419.org public web-interface] offers.

==== Further topics ====
*[[SOAP: technotes]]
*[http://www.aa419.org/soap/datatypes.php SOAP: aa419 custom datatypes]
*[http://www.aa419.org/soap/methods.php SOAP: aa419 methods]
*[http://www.aa419.org/soap/example.php Example implementation for webmasters and developers]