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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Bernard Marissa LLP" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bernardmarissa@sify.com>
Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 05:34:13 +0100
Subject: Compliments

Bernard Marissa
Will & Probate Solicitors
63 Uplands drive,Markfield, Leicestershire,London LE67 9WF
Tel: +44-701-117-3165
Fax: +44-700-596-1494
Email: bernardmarrissa@aol.co.uk

Compliments,

I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise, Please

accept the content in good faith. I do not intend to cause any

grief to you and your family. The reason for sending this mail

is very fundamental to the doctrine of human privileges and

right. My name is Barrister Bernard Marissa a legal

practitioner based in London and the personal Attorney to late

Mr. Adams, a national of your country who died along with his

wife and two sons who died in the Tube explosion between

King's Cross-and Russell Square in London.

My client was a successful and is an accomplished family man,

who made enough fortune before his untimely death. Since then

I had made several Inquiries through your Embassy to locate

any of my clients extended relative but this exercise has

proved unsuccessful. After several unsuccessful attempts, I

decided to trace his relatives through the Internet, to locate

any member of his family, not much progress was recorded. My

late client was an influential wealthy businessman, an oil

magnet here in London and he left behind a deposit of Twelve

Million Two Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds only

(£12.2Million GBP) in his domiciliary bank account in a

commercial bank here in London.

After the death of my client his bankers contacted me, as his

Attorney to provide his next of kin who should inherit his

funds. The board of directors of his bank adopted a resolution

and I was mandated to provide his next of kin for the payment

of this money within 28 Working days or forfeit the money to

the bank as an abandoned property. The bankers had planned to

invoke the abandoned property decree of 1996 to confiscate the

funds after the expiration of the period given to me.

Fortunately, I came across your name, to my greatest

astonishment, I discovered that you bear the same surname with

my late client and coincidentally, you are nationals of the

same country. Being convinced that you may be related with my

late client or that you might provide clue to my search, I

therefore, decided to contact with these facts before me,

because of the similarities. By virtue of my closeness to the

deceased and his immediate family, I am very much aware of my

client financial standing and the bank account he operates.

I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be

legally proper to present you as the next of kin of my

deceased client, so that you can be paid the funds left in his

bank account. I therefore seek your consent to present you as

the Next of Kin to the Deceased since you are at an advantage,

bearing the same surname and equally from the same country

that the proceeds of this Bank Account valued at (£12.2Million

GBP can be paid to you. We shall both share the funds. 40% for

me and 55% to you, while 5% should be for Expenses or your

Government may require as Tax.

I shall assemble all the necessary Legal Documents that will

be used to back up our claim. All I require is your honest

cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee

that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that

will protect you from any breach of law. Please get in touch

with me by email to enable us discuss further.
To facilitate the process of this transaction, urgently

forward to me

Your full names,

Telephone and fax numbers,

Address,

Age,

Marital status,

A copy of your identity and occupation.


For privacy and confidentiality reply using my fax: +44-700-

596-1494, Tel:+44-701-117-3165 or email:

bernardmarrissa@aol.co.uk. I will be expecting to hear from

you.

Best Regards

Bernard Marissa.




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