419 scam: "Barrister Mrs Laura Bella"<barristerlaura@lawyer.com> Urgent Reply Is Needed.

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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (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 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.
- +447968209444
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.
- barristerlauradibella@rediffmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Mrs Laura Bella" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barristerlauradibella@rediffmail.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:41:34 +0100
Subject: Urgent Reply Is Needed.

Compliment of the day.

I am Barrister Mrs Laura Di Bella from United State Of America but leaving in London Uk, i sincerely apologize for intruding into your privacy especially by contacting you through this means for a business transaction of this magnitude, but due to its seriousness and urgency it therefore became
necessary for me to seek your assistance.

I got your contact in course of my inquiry to locate relations of my Deceasesd Client who died in a car crash on the 25th February 2008.The reason for this is to inherit a Contracts Payment Deposits Account of $10.5 million of which the Deceased left in a Finance Firm.

Consequently, having gone through to your profile on Internet, I want you to please assist me to inherit the fund into your Account. This request emerged last week when the Finance Firm contacted me for the attention of my Deceases Client (perhaps for one reason or the other they have tried to contact him and was unsuccessful).

However, thereupon I announced his death and protocols observed, I was mandated (as the deceased's attorney)to provide the Next of Kin to inherit the Deposits or they will freeze it as"Unclaimed Deposit".Unfortunately, and unknown to the Finance Firm, the Next of Kin was among the dead in the car crash. But rather leaving the Deposits/Account frozen hence I seek your help to claim the fund into your Account as you share same names with the Next of Kin and I have the required Information to execute the transaction under legal process.

Kindly go to the attachement file and see my international passport. I will like you to keep this transaction confidential that is the reason why i sent you my international passport.

Please contact me for further information and commencement of the transaction,and I need the following informations from you
Full name
House address
Occupation
Age
Sex
Country
Direct Mobile number

for this transaction to commence successfully.
Kindly contact me on my direct phone number

Mobile Number: +447968209444
Email: barristerlauradibella@rediffmail.com

Be informed that your compensation will be 40% of this fund,while 60% will be my percentage.

Please it is only trust and honesty to ourself will make this claim to work out accordingly,and success will be our achievement at the end of this transaction.

Yours faithfully,

Barrister Mrs Laura Di Bella.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam