419 scam: "Snr. Advocate Severin" <advsahconsult@att.net> Very Urgent And Serious.

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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)
- "million 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)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- sah.consult@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Snr. Advocate Severin" <advsahconsult@att.net>
Reply-To: sah.consult@yahoo.fr
Date: Sat, 22 May 2010 06:13:58 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Very Urgent And Serious.

Dear Friend,

Good day to you.

I am the personal attorney to my late client Mr. Davies Bell a national of your country. Since he and his family perished on the plane crash in here in Benin in 2003, I have done all my best to contact any of his family members for past 6years plus now but have not been successful at that. He has US$4.8 Million Dollars in a bank here in Benin, which no one has come forward to claim till date.

Your status as a foreigner qualifies you to act as the next of kin to my late client, hence I solicit your cooperation to work with me to claim the funds as the next of kin to my late client by acting as his business partner. Note also that your nationality, sex or religion has nothing to do with this partnership.

The bank will not reject anyone I endorse, and there is no risk involved as this deal is going to be executed under a legal and legitimate arrangement and we will share the proceeds 5O/50 each. If no one claims the funds this year, according to the banking law, after 7years the funds would be deposited in the government treasury as unclaimed bills.
Please reply to my email sah.consult@yahoo.fr for more details and please keep this private.

Regards,
Snr. Adv. Severin A. HOUNNOU.
Registered Attorney.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam