419 scam: "Barrister Kwabena Boateng"<james@yhcb.com.tw> Information

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

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

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- k.boateng@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Kwabena Boateng" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <iwright855@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:58:20 +0100
Subject: Information

DEAR FRIEND,

My name is Barrister Kwabena Boateng, a practicing lawyer in the Republic of Ghana. I am seeking your co-operation to present you to a bank here in Ghana as the next of Kin to Mr. Bredon , to claim the sum of US$8,000,000.00 (Eight million United States Dollars) which after his death was his account balance with Standard Chartered Bank.

Mr. Bredon McClarke died at the age of 56 in Ghana on the 2nd November 2006 of heart related complications. He is a Scottish Contractor handling World Bank Projects in my country. Until his death, I was his personal Attorney.

Immediately after his death, the Board of Directors of the Bank mandated me to look for any body that is related to him so that the person can stand as his next of kin and claim his fund that is with Standard Chartered Bank. For the past three years, I have been searching for his relation(s) but to no avail and now, all my efforts to locate his next of kin proved abortive. That is why I am seeking your assistance to present you as the next of kin of Mr. Bredon McClarke, then the US$8,000,000.00 will be paid to you as the beneficiary. Since I am his Attorney whom he gave the legal right to produce his next of kin to his funds with Standard Chartered Bank, what I will do is to endorse and approve you as the next of kin, the Board of Directors will authorise the Corporate Finance Manager for onward remittance of this fund into your account.

Before I decided to contact you, I have made all necessary arrangements and I am assuring you of a risk-free transaction. For Your co-operation, you are to take 50% of the entire sum while 50% will be for me. Please, because you are not the true relative/next of kin to Mr. Bredon McClarke, I will like you to keep this private and confidential.

I will provide you with full details on how this transaction will work successfully when I receive your message indicating your willingness to conclude this transaction with me.

Looking forward to your positive and prompt response in my private email: k.boateng@rediffmail.com

Yours faithfully,

Barr. Kwabena Boateng
+233242381569

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam