419 scam: BARRISTER JAMES CORK <barr.barrmikeike.mlke240@gmail.com> FROM DESK OF BARRISTER JAMES CORK EMBASSY.

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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:

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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22993185765 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: BARRISTER JAMES CORK <barr.barrmikeike.mlke240@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westerunionoffice149@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:31:23 +0530 (IST)
Subject: FROM DESK OF BARRISTER JAMES CORK EMBASSY.

FROM DESK OF
BARRISTER JAMES CORK EMBASSY.
FINANCE MINISTER OF. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
BENIN.
FORGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE.CALL +229 93 18 57
65
====================================================

YOUR FULL RESPECT,
                            ATTN;BENEFICIARY:
,

WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOUR FUND TO YOUR ADDRESS IN YOUR
CITY FROM THE FINACIAL DEPARTMENT HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC.YOU WILL BE RECEIVING
YOUR FUND ( $4,500 U.S.D ) PER DAY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE TOTAL SUM OF
($950.000.00) I WANT TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM YOU THAT GOVERNMENT IS
PLANING TO CANCELL YOUR WINNER FUNDS AND TRANSFER IT INTO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS IF
WE DID NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHING 3DAYS YOU ARE REQUIRE TO SEND US OUR TRANSFER
CHARGES THE SUM OF $46 USD FOR THE $4,500 THAT WE
HAVE ALREADY SEND, MEANWHILE SEND THE $46 USD TO US
IMMEDIATELY TODAY FOR FASTER SENDING OF YOUR FUND CORRECTLY BY TOMORROW
MORNING...

AFTER THE MONEY HAVE BEEN TRANSFERED CORRECTLY TO YOUR ADDRESS
WE WILL MAIL YOU THE PAYMENT INFORMATIONS YOU NEED TO PICK UP YOUR MONEY IN ANY
WESTERN UNION ARROUND YOU CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE ONE THAT IS HERE IS NOT CORRECT
BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT RECIVED OUR $46USD
ONLY.

REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE $46
USD IS THAT WE TRIED TO
DEDUCT THE TRANSFERING FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND
BUT THE MINISTER
ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC TOLD US THAT NO
ONE HAS RIGHT OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY
SHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO YOUR HANDS TO AVOID STEALING SOME OF THE
FUNDS.SO IF YOU WANT TO TRACK THE MONEY AND CONFIRM IF THE FUNDS IS TRANSFERED
ENTER OUR WEBSITE WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM THEN

CLICK TRACKING AND ENTER THE MTCN NUMBER; 8840393737 ENTER SENDERS
FIRST Evelyn ..... ENTER SENDERS LAST NAME..Clawson. AND CLICK TRACKING
AND
IT WILL SHOW YOU THAT YOUR FUNDS IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO PICK IT
UP
SENDER NAME: Evelyn Clawson,

WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
SENDER'S
NAME:==== Evelyn Clawson.
RECEIVER'S NAME:===============,
TEXT QUESTION:=======Who made
you?
ANSWER:==============God.
AMOUNT:===============$4,500,00.
MTCN :==================8840393737

http://www.westernunion.com/info/selectCountry.asp
FINALY
URGENT SEND US THE $46 USD TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON
YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY RIGHT. BELOW IS OUR ACCOUNT'S INFORMATION FOR YOU TO
SEND THE $46 USD THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
BEEN OUR TRANSFERING CHARGE FOR YOUR
$4,500.00 USD,

RECEIVER:.........MR CHUKWUMA JOHN.
COUNTRY........ BENIN
REPUBLIC
CITY.......................COTONOU
MTCN..................................
QUESTION:
HOW LONG?
ANSWER............ 24 HOURS.
SENDERS NAME..................

AMOUNT:................$46, USD

YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED .
WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU
AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE TO QUICKEN THE PROCESS.

Please if you are not the real beneficiary don't respond on
this
Yours in service
BARRISTER JAMES CORK.Embassy attorney,
Benin.
Finance Ministery
Federal republic of Benin.
FROM DESK OF
BARRISTER JAMES CORK EMBASSY
                              TEL +229 93 18 57 65

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam