419 scam: "Barrister Joe Chang" <joechang@spreekjemoerstaal.nl> DESK OF JOE CHANG

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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 sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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)
- ",500,000" (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.)
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.
- mr_joechang7@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Joe Chang" <joechang@spreekjemoerstaal.nl>
Reply-To: mr_joechang11@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:57:58 +0100 (CET)
Subject: DESK OF JOE CHANG

DESK OF JOE CHANG
Chang & Associate Chambers No.34,
Leboh pasar 20130 kuala lumpur
Malaysia
TEL: +60 166775814
Email (mr_joechang7@yahoo.com.hk)
Dear Sir/Madam

I am Barrister Joe Chang, personal attorney to Mr Francois Bonyachai, an
expatriate who was resident here in Malaysia. On the 2nd of January 2005,
I received a call that my client had died in the Tsunami Disaster with his
wife and two kids while on vacation at Phuket Island of Thailand. Since
then I have made several inquiries to locate any of my client's extended
relatives. This has proved unsuccessful.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my
client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank
where this deposit is lodged. Particularly, the bank where the deceased
had an account valued at US$6,500,000.00 (Six Million, Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars).

The bank has issued me a notice to provide the next-of-kin or have the
account confiscated as Unclaimed Dividends. Since I have been unsuccessful
in locating the biological relatives of my late client, I hereby seek your
consent to present you to the bank as next-of-kin of the deceased since
you are a foreigner, so that the proceeds of this account valued at
US$6.5M can be transferred to you as inheritance and thereafter, you and
me can share the money; 50% to me and 45% to you, while 5% will be donated
to the Tsunami Disaster Charity Fund.

I have important legal documents that will be used to substantiate our
inheritance claims. All I require is your consent and honest co-operation
to enable us see the deal through. Furthermore, I guarantee that the
transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will
protect you from any breach of the law.

If you are interested in this transaction, kindly furnish me with your info.

1.full name,
2.address,
3.cell number
4.sex
5.age
6.occupation
7.telephone and fax numbers
8 Email address

To enable us commence all the legal documents immediately. Please
forward your reply to this email: (mr_joechang7@yahoo.com.hk)

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,
Barrister Joe Chang.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam