419 scam: "Mark Adams Esq" <mark96434632@gmail.com> Call me on +228-7490132 for more deatils.

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "top secret" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "lome togo" (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 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.
- +2287490132 (Togo, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- markadams@justice.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- lome-togo west africa. tele phone:00228-7490132 email: markadams@justice.com date 26/04/2010. attention: private message i am (Justice; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mark Adams Esq" <mark96434632@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mark228tg@aol.co.uk
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:27:02 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Call me on +228-7490132 for more deatils.

From Mark Adams
AdamsChambers,
Rue 52 Pisimoula,
Lome-Togo West Africa.
Tele Phone:00228-7490132
Email: markadams@justice.com
Date 26/04/2010.

Attention:

Private Message

I am contacting you for a claim of fund that was deposited with the
Ecobank Togo.I am soliciting for your confidence in this matter, this is
by virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top Secret.
Though I know that a contact of this magnitude will make any one
apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well
since I know everything about your late uncle fund. I have decided to
contact you due to the urgency of this matter.

Let me start by introducing myself properly to you. I am Barrister Mark
Adams the personal Attorney to Engr.M.B. (Snr) an oil Merchant with the
Federal Government of lome-togo,On the 1st of October 2006, he and his
wife and only daughter were involved in an automobile accident while
visiting a neighboring country on vacation (Cotonu) . They were buried two
weeks after and I have exhausted all means of reaching who may have been
related to them. This has been made more difficult because no mention was
made of any relative while he was alive.He was Banking with Ecobank Lome
Togo and had a closing balance as at the end of september,2005 worth
$22.5M (Twenty Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars).The bank now
expects the Next of Kin to come forward as beneficiary.

Efforts have been made by the Ecobank Lome Togo to get in touch with any
of the Deceased Family or Relatives, but they have met with no success.Now
the management under the influence of the bank Chairman and Members of the
Board of directors, has made arrangement for the fund to be declared
Unclaimed so that they can share the money amongst themselves. In order to
avert this negative development, it is my duty to contact you since your
name was amongst listed in his personal files that was with me, now you
are to stand as the next of kin to his properties.

All documents and proof to enable you get this fund will be carefully
worked out by me for this claim. I have secured from the probate an order
of Mandamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiaries, and more so am
assuring you that this claim is 100%risk free. Now it is left for you
decide on what you will give as my percentage for assisting you in this
claim. In your response to this mail do include your direct telephone
number to enable me reach you in times of urgent need.

To further cement our trust,you should call me for voice to voice
communication and further establishment of trust,after this I will guide
you on other steps to follow.PLEASE REPLY ME HERE (mark228tg@aol.co.uk)

Waiting eagerly to hear from you soonest.

Call me on +228-7490132 for more deatils.

Yours Sincerely,
Mark Adams Esq
00228-7490132

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam