419 scam: "Richard Martins Esq." <princeju2003@yahoo.com> CAN I TRUST YOU IN FUND?

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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)
- "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. )
- "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)
- "transferred into your bank account" (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)
- "await your urgent response" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "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.
- richard_martins205@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Richard Martins Esq." <princeju2003@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "Richard Martins Esq." <richard_martins205@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 10:24:59 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CAN I TRUST YOU IN FUND?

I AM BARRISTER RICHARD MARTINS, PERSONAL FINANCIAL ATTORNEY TO MR. BENSON
WILLIAMS A CITIZEN OF YOUR COUNTRY. LATE MR. BENSON WAS A PETROCHEMICAL
ENGINEERING CONSULTANT WITH ELEME PETROL-CHEMICAL COMPANY RIVERS STATE , IN
NIGERIA .

ON THE 12TH OF JANUARY 2003, MR. BENSON, HIS WIFE AND THEIR ONLY CHILD WERE
INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ALONG WARRI / PORT ROAD.SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE
SEVERAL INQUIRIES IN THEIR EMBASSY HERE TO LOCATE ANY OF MY LATE CLIENT'S
EXTENDED RELATIVES BUT THIS HAS PROVED UNSUCCESSFUL.

AFTER THESE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, I DECIDED TO TRACE HIS RELATIVES ON INTERNATIONAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE,
TO LOCATE ANY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY BUT TO NO AVAIL.
DEAR FRIEND,IT IS BECAUSE OF THE PERCEIVED POSSIBILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCATE ANY OF MY LATE CLIENT NEXT OF KIN,
SINCE HE DIED ALONG WITH HIS WIFE AND THEIR ONLY DAUGHTER IN THE UNFORTUNATE
ACCIDENT AND LEFT NO RELATIVE (S) THAT IS KNOWN TO THE BANK.

VALUABLE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE BANK TO LOCATE ANY OF HIS FAMILY
MEMBERS TO STAND AS BENEFICIARY TO HIS ESTATES WITHOUT SUCCESS. CONSEQUENTLY,
THE CHAIRMAN AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE PLANNING TO DECLARE THE FUND
UNCLAIMED BY NOVEMBER 2013 AND TRANSFER IT TO FEDERATION ACCOUNT FOR PURCHASE OF MATERIALS TO CARRY ON
THE FEDERAL BUG JET OF BUILDING MORE REFINERIES IN LAGOS ABUJA PORT HARCOURT. THIS INSTRUCTION IS
PASSED BY THE (CBN GOVERNOR SANUSI LAMIDO) ORDERED BY THE NEW ELECTED PRESIDENT OF
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA DR. EBERECHUKWU GOOD LUCK JONATHAN CHIEF COMMANDER OF THE ARM FORCES.

IN OTHER TO AVERT THIS NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT, SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN
LOCATING THE RELATIVES OF MY LATE CLIENT FOR OVER ONE FULL YEAR, I NOW SEEK
YOUR CONSENT TO HAVE YOU STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO THE ESTATE OF LATE CLIENT
SINCE YOU COME FROM THE SAME COUNTRY, SO THAT THE PROCEEDS OF HIS BANK ACCOUNT
VALUED AT $14,270.000.00 (FOURTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND,
UNITED STATES DOLLARS) WILL BE RELEASED AND PAID INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AS
BENEFICIARY AND NEXT OF KIN.

THE BANK HERE HAS THE INTENTION OF DECLARING HIS HUGE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT WITH
THEM DORMANT/UNSERVICEABLE AND UNCLAIMED, WHICH HE WAS OPERATING A DOMICILIARY
ACCOUNT AND HAD A CLOSING BALANCE AS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2004 AMOUNTING TO
$14,270.000.00 (FOURTEEN MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND, UNITED
STATES DOLLARS ONLY). ALL YOU HAVE TO DO NOW IS TO SET UP ACCOUNT THAT WILL BE
ABLE TO CONTAIN IT I WILL HELP TO ARRANGE ALL NECESSARY LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT
CAN BE USED TO BACK UP YOUR CLAIM AS THE NEXT-OF-KIN THROUGH THE FEDERAL HIGH
COURT, LAGOS NIGERIA.

ALL I REQUIRED IS YOUR HONEST COOPERATION AS A SINCERE PARTNER TO ENABLE US
SEES THIS DEAL THROUGH AND I WILL DIRECT YOU TO THE BANK REFEREED FOR THIS
TRANSFER. I GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL BE EXECUTED UNDER A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT
THAT WILL PROTECT YOU AND I FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW.

ONCE THE FUND IS TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO
50% WHILE 50% WILL BE MY SHARE, AND ALL EXPENSES OR TAX AS YOUR GOVERNMENT MAY
REQUIRE SHALL BE BORNE BY BOTH PARTIES.HERE IS INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR
SECURING APPLICATION.

YOUR FULL NAME:
ADDRESS undefined
MARITAL STATUS;

AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE IN PRINCIPLE, I WILL FURNISH YOU WITH THE
NECESSARY MODALITIES FOR COMMENCEMENT. FINALLY, I AM RELYING MY CONFIDENCE IN
YOU IN GOOD FAITH TO SEE YOUR WILLINGNESS AND COMMITMENTS IN ACCEPTANCE TO MY
REQUEST.I AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.

MAKE SURE YOU DIRECT ALL YOUR REPLY VIA MY SECURITY EMAIL BOX
(richard_martins205@yahoo.com)

YOURS SINCERELY,
RICHARD MARTINS ESQ.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam