419 scam: "COLLIN SHNADS" <collinshands7015@att.net> SHANDS & ASSOCIATES

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "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.
- collinshands0077@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "COLLIN SHNADS" <collinshands7015@att.net>
Reply-To: collinshands0077@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2011 12:24:47 +0800
Subject: SHANDS & ASSOCIATES

SHANDS & ASSOCIATES
NO. 30, JLAN TIMAH SARI
KAMPUNG KENANGAN DATO ONN 1
BATU PAHAT

Dear Respect One

I am Barrister Collin Shands (Esq.) Malaysia Solicitor & Financial Attorney/Consultant. I decided to send this first letter writing through email while subsequent ones would be secured. I was the personal Attorney to late Mr. Klaus Schraner, a German foreign contractor who died among many others in a car accident along Ipoh Express Road in Damansara Area of Malaysia .

Before his death, he was an expatriate mining consultant and Gold/Diamond merchant within Asian sub-region. Mr. Klaus schraner here-in-after referred as my client was also a category "A contractor for Malaysian ministry. He satisfactorily executed some contracts for Malaysian ministry and the sum of four $6 million Usd is an outstanding debt owed him by the ministry.

Unfortunately, it is after his death that the Malaysian public procurement agency approved his payment and sent notification to my chambers in accordance with my client's instructions-which any correspondence in respect to his dealings with the Malaysian ministry should go through my chambers.

The Malaysia Public Procurement Agency (MPPA) has consequently asked me to contact his next of kin to claim this outstanding contract fee owed to him. All attempts to trace his next of kin(s) were fruitless. I also discovered that my client did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents with the ministry. I have contacted you to assist in claiming this money from the ministry for benefit of two of us before it is confiscated or declared unserviceable as warned by the ministry.

I have the authority to nominate my client's next of kin. We need your assistance to help us to receive this money in your nominated bank account, Note that this transaction is simple and 100% risk free, I will provide legal documentations that will authenticate you as the true next of kin.

Upon your response, we shall discuss the sharing formula for the money. You may be wondering why you were chosen but somebody has to be chosen. However, the choice is yours to choose this deal or pass the fortune of a lifetime. please if you are interested do contact me for more details on my personal email:(collinshands0077@gmail.com)

Awaiting your urgent reply.

Best Regards,
Barrister Collin Shand

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam