419 scam: "Barrister Klaus Franz"<barr.klaus.franz@googlemail.com> INFORMATION OF A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX IN YOUR NAME

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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:
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- barrklausfranz@avasmail.com.mv (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Klaus Franz" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <barrklausfranz@avasmail.com.mv>
Date: Sun, 30 May 2010 03:29:40 -0700
Subject: INFORMATION OF A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX IN YOUR NAME

DOLPHIN CHAMBERS
FROM THE DESK
BARRISTER KLAUS FRANZ
19 New Bridge Street
London EC4V 6AU.
DX 162 Chancery Lane
United Kingdom

I am the sole executor and trustee of the estate of a testator and I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address stated on the TRUST as my previous notification to you was returned undelivered.Please if I reach you this time as I am hopeful endeavour to get back to me.I have information concerning the availability of a safe deposit box with a bank which has been listed in your name.The testator made you the beneficiary of the deposit box which contains 314,000GBP as a secret trust.

Secret trust arises where a person called the testator transfers property to another party (the legatee) to be held on trust for the benefit of a beneficiary who does not know that such a trust exists until the time stated in the instrument creating the trust have reached.

Financial assets like this are considered unclaimed when contact with a beneficiary is lost for an extended period or the where about is unknown to the executors of the trust.This often happens due to a name change after marriage or divorce, an unreported change name and address or expired postal forwarding order,incomplete, illegible records and result of computer and clerical errors. When legatee fail to claim an asset/funds over a specified period known as the dormancy period, those left holding the trust property(funds)in a case like this where the trust was invested, had ordered transfer custody to a special trust account in a process known as escheat.Your inheritance is now escheated to the bank.

My duty is to provide legal assistance and claims administration for transfer of custody of the funds to you as the sole and legal beneficiary.Upon your response to this email,I shall provide you will further information on the release of the funds to you .I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Godspeed,
Barrister Klaus Franz
Email: barrklausfranz@avasmail.com.mv

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam