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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

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

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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.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "top of the day to you" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "million 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)
  • "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • barr_adeyemi147@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Michael Adeyemi <michael.411@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <barr_adeyemi113@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:36:07 +0100
Subject: FINAL NOTIFICATION BENEFICIARY



From the desk of Barr.Michael Adeyemi
adeyemilawchambers
Address: 356 Crystal Estate,
Lagos
Nigeria
Date: 13/AUGUST/2007
Email: barr_adeyemi147@yahoo.com

Attention,

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This mail transmission is being sent by a lawyer. It contains information that is confidential, privileged, proprietary, or otherwise legally exempt from disclosure. There is no intent on the part of the sender to waive any privilege, including the attorney-client privilege that may attach to this communication.

Top of the day to you,

I am barrister Micheal Adeyemi Smith, an attorney at law. A deceased client of mine, who herein after shall be referred to as my client, died as the result of a heart-related condition in September 2006.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Security Company in London United Kingdom, where this deposit valued at 5million dollars is lodged. This Security Company in London United Kingdom has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated because there is a government gazette /mandate/ authorizing all banks to freeze or confisticate any account that has not been serviceable in a long period of time, this is geared towards capital flight for the economy.

My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, since you have the same last name with my deceased client, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage, of which, 50% will be for me, 45% for you, 5% for any reputable charity home because this fund belongs to a deceased man.

All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology but if not, then contact me at once to indicate your interest, by giving me your telephone number so that I too can contact you. All necessary information that you will need to know, I will provide to you once i hear from you it will be important to know that I have been given a schedule time when they will go ahead to effect their plans on such accounts that have been marked. I will need to know your interest in helping me and I will also need your sincere honesty that you are who you say you are and can prove it when demanded.
Please get back to me.
Cheers,

Barrister Micheal Adeyemi Smith
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam