419 scam: "From Barr Martins Eze"<contactoffice15@gmail.com> Waiting To Hear From You And God Bless.N HEREPŒë¸"

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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)
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "necessary legal documents" (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. )
- "account opening" (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. )
- "huge deposit" (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.)
- "account opening form" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "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.
- bamez53@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "From Barr Martins Eze" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bamez53@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2000 20:04:17 -0800
Subject: Waiting To Hear From You And God Bless.

FROM THE DESK OF BARISTER MARTINS EZE
MARTINS CHAMBER ESQ
NO 17 BROAD STREET VICTORIA ISLAND,
LAGOS NIGERIA.

Dear Friend,

Please kindly accept my apology for sending this unsolicited mail to you though, I do not know to what extent you are familiar with this event.

I am Barrister Martins Eze. I am the personal Attorney to Late Engr. Mark a National of your country, a Contractor who used to work with Shell & Liquefied Gas International Oil Company in Nigeria before his demise.

Before his death, which took place On Wednesday, May 5, 2010 4:03 PM, my client, his wife and their two kids were involved in the plane crash accident, which unfortunately claimed their lives, via the ill-fated E.A.S Airline crash.
Since, his death I have made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my late clients extended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful, as he had no known relatives and more so, he used his wife's name as his next of kin in his account opening forms. I have been expecting his relatives to come over to claim his money as it cannot be claimed unless someone applies officially for it as his next of kin.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his last name over the Internet, to see if I could locate any member of his family, hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client Late Engr. Mark, before they get confiscated or declared un-serviceable by the bank where these huge deposits was lodged.
Particularly, the (Bank) where the deceased had an account valued at
(US$9.300.000) Nine Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars.

Consequently, the bank issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the account confiscated within a short time.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over some years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account (Money) valued at (US$9.300.000) Nine Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars can be paid into your designated Account, and then, you and I can share the money; 55% for me and 40% for you, while 5% would be for expenses or tax as your government may require.

I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up the claim. All I require is your honest co-operation 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 the law. If you are willing to transact this huge business proposal with me, kindly get back to me as soon as you receive this mail, in your return mail, with the following:

1) FULL NAME;
2) YOUR AGE;
3) YOUR PRIVATE CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER;
4) CONTACT ADDRESS;
5) FAX NUMBER;
6) MARITAL STATUS;
7) OCCUPATION;

Waiting To Hear From You And God Bless.
Best Regards,

Barrister Martins Eze
Attorney at Law.
Alternative Email:bamez53@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam