419 scam: "Elaine Farrell of Hansa Law Offices Gonsiori 7, Tallinn Estonia. Phone +372 5499 5636" <madinahameed7@gmail.com> Request for your assistance..

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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:
- "a security company " (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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Elaine Farrell of Hansa Law Offices Gonsiori 7, Tallinn Estonia. Phone +372 5499 5636" <madinahameed7@gmail.com>
Reply-To: barelainfarrell@europe.com
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2023 23:51:02 +0100
Subject: Request for your assistance..

Elaine Farrell of Hansa Law Offices
Gonsiori 7, Tallinn 10117
Estonia.
Phone: +372 5499 5636

I am the personal attorney to the late Steven Vandersande, a Dutchman who
was a consultant with Shell Estonia LTD here in Tallinn, who hereinafter
shall be referred to as my late client. Unfortunately, my late client lost
his life in a plane crash MH17 on the 17th of July 2014 during one of his
trips from the Netherlands (Amsterdam) to Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), and my
late client left no clear beneficiary to the fund deposited with a Security
Company as beneficiary except some vital documents related to the deposit
that is still with me.

All efforts by me to trace his relatives have proved abortive because he
did not make any will prior to his death. After several unsuccessful
attempts to locate any member of his family, I am contacting you to assist
me in claiming the money left behind by my late client before they get
confiscated or declared unclaimed by the financial company where this huge
deposit was deposited.

Particularly now that the Finance Company where He had the said fund valued
at 15.5 M deposited has issued me a notice to provide someone. Consequent
to this, my idea is that we can have a deal/agreement and I am going to do
this legally with your name as the true beneficiary of the amount in
question as I have all the legal documents to back our claim, I seek your
consent to present you as the beneficiary to the deceased so that the
proceeds of this account valued at 15.5 M can be paid to your account
abroad, note that the percentage of sharing will be 50/50.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law; all I need from you is your
utmost collaboration and sincerity for us to thrive in this deal. I want
you to reply to me immediately and include your direct phone number so that
we can discuss more as regards this transaction. Thank you and Please treat
this matter with the utmost confidentiality. I wait for your urgent
response.

Yours Sincerely,
Barr. Elaine Farrell.
Phone: +372 5499 5636

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam