419 scam: "Barr. Matthew Wankey" <barristermatthewwankey@gmail.com> WANKEY LAW CHAMBERS

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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "trunk box" (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)
- "trunk boxes" (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)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "Barr. Matthew Wankey" <barristermatthewwankey@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 May 2012 11:44:00 +0100
Subject: WANKEY LAW CHAMBERS

Company Name: WANKEY LAW CHAMBERS
Phone number: +233 (0) 24 363 4600
Address line: Mail Post Bag AC787
City: Accra
State: Greater Accra
ZIPE Code: 00233
E-mail address:info@wankeylaws.com

Attn: pls.
I am mailing you from peace keeping center here in Accra Ghana, and I
am the secretary to Kofi Annan peace keeping center, base on the
meeting in Parliament House yesterday at Osu Castle the corporate
executive bodies directors of defined department they have already
come together and deliberate on vote agreement unanimously base on
the report from the refugee children here in Accra Ghana whom you have
been of help to time ago in regarding to their consignments trunk
boxes with their money in the Bank Western Union Money Transfer and
Money Gram on how they can come over to you in your country there and
start up new life with their consignments trunk boxes or get their
money transfer though to your Bank Account.

But the report reaching us here in the Parliament stated that your
name is been Blacklisted not to receive any transaction from West
Africa by ECOWAS, IMF, WEMA, AU and United Nations Blacklisted, etc,

Having mentioned the above, however, you most have write Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between you and all the corporate executive bodies
ECOWAS, IMF, WEMA, AU and United Nations that all the millions of
dollars transaction you discuss on phone with your transaction
partners are not Government looted fund of Ghana by the passes
Government NPP but African Refugee Children fund and you have to
promise invest their Fund in a profitable Business in your Country,
this MOU will also requires your signatory in correspondence with
signatory of his Excellency Prof John Evans Attah Mills the
president of the republic of Ghana and Kofi Annan, The governments of
Ghana have ask the corporate executive bodies mentioned above to still
wait for you or your representing lawyer to come over to the
Parliament House of Ghana Osu Castle for your signatory to the MOU and
for the complete erasing and deleting of your name from the Blacklist
Database System which was ascribed to your name previous.
For more information call me to put you though.
Please reply to my private mail box: info@wankeylaws.com
Regards,
Barr. Matthew Wankey
Sec Gen to Kofi Annan
Peace keeping center
Accra Ghana
+233243634600

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