419 scam: "BARR JOSE MIGUEL"<joseemigueloffice@gmail.com> I ANTICIPATE YOUR URGENT REPLY

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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.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +34627784263 (Spain, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- joseemiguel@safe-mail.net (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "BARR JOSE MIGUEL" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <joseemiguel@Safe-mail.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:11:23 +0200
Subject: I ANTICIPATE YOUR URGENT REPLY

Barrister. Jose Miguel
No: 12 Maiquez, 28009,
Madrid, Spain
Tel: +34 627 784 263
17th June, 2009

Dear,
This is a personal email directed to you and i request that it be treated as such.
I am Barrister Jose Miguel, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney/sole executor to an independent oil magnate in my country and who died along with his entire family in July 2000 in a plane crash. For more informations about the crash you can visit this site: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm).
Since the death of my client in July, 2000, I have written several letters to the embassy with intent to locate any of his extended relatives whom shall be claimants/beneficiaries of his abandoned personal estate and all such efforts have been to no avail.
Moreover, I have received official letters in the last few weeks suggesting a likely proceeding for confiscation of his abandoned personal assets in line with existing laws by the bank in which my client deposited the sum of 7.5 million Euros.(Seven Million,five Hundred Thousand Euro)
On this note, i decided to search for a credible person and finding that you are a foreigner and that you bear thesame last name with my late client, i was urged to contact you, that i may, with your consent, present you to the bank as my late client's surviving family member so as to enable you put up a claim to the bank as a next of kin to my late client.
I find this possible for the reasons that you are a foreigner making it a lot easier for you to put up a claim in that capacity. I propose that 40% of the net sum will accrue to you at the conclusion of this deal.
Therefore, to facilitate the immediate transfer of this fund, you need, first to contact me via email signifying your interest and as soon as i obtain your confidence, i will immediately appraise you with the complete details with which you are to proceed and i shall direct you on how to put up an application to the bank. However, you will have to assent to an express agreement which i will forward to you in order to bind us in this transaction.
Upon the receipt of your reply, i will direct you on the next step. This proposal is hitch-free and that you should not entertain any fears as the required arrangements have been made for the completion of this transfer. Like i said, i require only a solemn confidentiality on this. Send your reply to (joseemiguel@Safe-mail.net)
Please,if this mail is contrary to your moral belief,i will suggest you delete it and keep it between you and me.
Thanks.
Best Regards,
Jose Miguel (ESQ).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam