419 scam: "Barrister Mark.Morris" <"WWW."@utopia.ocn.ne.jp> ATTENTION!!!

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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:
- "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. )
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "barrister" (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.
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.
- mark.morris65@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Mark.Morris" <"WWW."@utopia.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Barrister Mark.Morris" <mark.morris65@hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2017 00:35:13 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION!!!

I am Mark.Morris, a lawyer and principal partner of the law firm "Premium Legal Chambers" I am personal attorney to late Mr. Bernhard A.Lantry, a national of your country, who was a contractor and importer here in Republic of Benin (West Africa). Here in after shall be referred to as my client on April 22, 2011, my client, his wife and their only daughter were involved in a car accident that happens along the Cotonou - Same highway. All occupants of the vehicle lost their lives. Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any member of his family, but all attempts were unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his family name in the business directory in our chamber of commerce, trade and tourism, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I contacted you to assist in repatriating the fund valued at $ 15,000,000.00 (fifteen million U.S. dollars) left behind by my client before it is confiscated or declared unclaimed by the bank where this money were
deposited.

The bank has issued me a notice as the lawyer for the deceased to provide his relatives, and since I could not been able to locate one of the heirs over the years, I seek your consent to present you as next of kin of the deposited funds in the bank so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you because you have the same family name. The bank will approve this money to any foreigner who has the same surname with the deceased, which I will present as the next of kin.

Therefore, I need your full cooperation in this transaction; I will provide all the necessary legal documents that will be used to back up the
claim.

All I require is your honest cooperation and trust worthy, to enable us see this arrangement through. I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate banking procedure that will protect you from any breach of the law. Upon receipt of your reply via my e-mail address: (mark.morris65@hotmail.com) I will give you the details and necessary procedure to make the transfer a success.

Your early reply in this regard will be appreciated.

Yours truly,

Barrister Mark.Morris

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam