419 scam: "BarristerSUNDAY MOSES" <tobn211@gmail.com> Dear Friend,

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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)
- "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)
- "million united state dollars" (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)
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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.
- sunday.moses23@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "BarristerSUNDAY MOSES" <tobn211@gmail.com>
Reply-To: barrtonyobi1@outlook.com
Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2014 12:29:20 -0000
Subject: Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,

I do recognize the surprise this urgent but confidential letter brings to
you,especially as it came from a stranger.I am Barrister SUNDAY MOSES
,(SAN) a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to late Engr.Steve
Moore a national of Isle of Man in UK, who was a contractor with Shell
development company in Nigeria. On the 21st of April 1996,my client, his
wife and their only daughter were involved in a car accident along sagamu
express road,lagos.

All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. And since
then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients extended
relatives this has also proved unsuccessful.After these several
unsuccessful attempts, I decided to search over the Internet,to locate any
member of his family hence contacted you.As you may bear with me,a next of
kin maybe the parents,sister, brother,close relative,associate, friend or
even a well-wisher.So, whether you are related to him or not is never a
barrier to realizing the transaction.

I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the money left behind by my
client before they get confisicated or declared unserviceable by the bank
where this huge deposits were lodged.The Bank where the deceased had an
account valued at about million US dollars has issued me a notice to
provide the next of kin or have the account confisicated within the next 21
official working days.

since I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives now i seek your
consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased so that the
proceeds of this account valued at million US dollars(Twenty seven million
united state dollars) can be paid to you and then you and i can share the
money. I have all necessary details that can be used to back up the claim.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you and i from any breach of the law. Please
get in touch with me by my email (sunday.moses23@yahoo.com) and send to me
your telephone number to enable us discuss further about this transaction.

1,Your Name
2,House Address
3,Your Phone/Fax Number
4,Your Age and Gender
5,Your occupation

Best Regards,
Barrister SUNDAY MOSES (Esq).

Anti-fraud resources:

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