419 scam: "From Barrister. Kamizo Frances.(Esq)." <mea@mongol.net> Re: I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin

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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:

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:
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "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.)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: "From Barrister. Kamizo Frances.(Esq)." <mea@mongol.net>
Reply-To: <barristerkamizofrances@barid.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 21:40:56 +0200
Subject: Re: I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin

Kamizo Frances, & Co Chambers
Solicitors & Advocates.
Cotonou - Benin Republic.
E-mail: barristerkamizofrances@barid.com

Hello

My name is Barr. Kamizo Frances, I am a citizen of Republic of Benin in
West African region. I am writing for the following opportunity in my
office that will be of immense benefit to both of us. I am the personal
attorney to late Mr.Daniel Dawson from Belgium who was a senior staff of
RCC construction company, he died on November 17 2009 in auto crash.

My
client had an account with BANK here in Cotonou Benin valued at $12.7M
USD (Twelve million seven hundred thousand united states dollars)I made
several inquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives in
Belgium since after his death, All my efforts to locate any of his
relatives proved unsuccessful.

Recently, the bank has issued me a notice to provide his next of kin
who will claim his funds or have his account confiscated and divert the
funds to federal Reserve bank,Since I have been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for years now, I seek your consent to present you
as the next of kin to the deceased,so that the bank can release the
money to you as the next of kin to the deceased customer, This money
has been dormant for years in the Bank without claim,and I don't want
the money to go into the Federal Reserve Bank of
Benin(FRBB) as unclaimed funds.

Please I would like you to keep this transfer as a top secret between
me and you alone , I have all the necessary information and legal
documents needed to back you up for the claim. All I require from you is
your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee
that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will
protect you from any breach of the law.

Thanks as I am looking forward to read your positive response through
my email addres.

Yours Faithfully,
Barr.Kamizo Frances.(Esq).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam