419 scam: Barrister Francis Lim <info@mail.com> You Have A New MessageANK OF NIGERIA (CBN).anr. Lamido SanPŒë¸"

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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:
- "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)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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.
- francislim10@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister Francis Lim <info@mail.com>
Reply-To: francislim10@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:50:13 +0100
Subject: You Have A New Message

Dear One,

I am Barr.Francis Lim, a lawyer by profession. I am soliciting your involvement
in a deal that will be of great mutual benefits between us.

I have a late client (dead) who had the same surname (family name) as yours. My
late client used to work with Shell Oil Exploration Company here in Malaysia,
he was an influential wealthy businessman, Civil engineer and Gold Magnet.

On the 21st of April 2004, my client, his wife and their only child were
involved in a car accident and later died of internal bleeding. All passengers
of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives, (may their gentle souls rest in
peace) Amen. Since then, I have made several enquiries to locate any of my
client?s extended family relatives but have proved unsuccessful. I came to know
about you through an enquiry I was making in the Internet, and I found out that
you shared the same surname with my late (dead) client.

Therefore, I am contacting you in order to assist in transferring the money and
property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank.

Your assistance is important and urgent because of the commercial banks where
my late client had a domiciliary account valued for Nine Million, Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars only (US$9,500,000.00) has already issued me a
notice to provide his Next of Kin or have the account confiscated within the
next 30 days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 4 years now,
I hereby seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin to my late client
since you have the same family (last name), so that the US$9,500,000.00 can be
paid to you for onward investment into any areas of business you deem viable
for a minimum period of 5 years to enable me continue my search for his Next of
Kin.
Note that I shall prepare legal documentations that will enable you have 40% of
the total sum, which amount to US$3,800,000.00. Be also assured that this deal
is 100% risk free.

I guarantee that this transaction will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. All I require is
your honest co-operation and utmost CONFIDENTIALITY to enable us see this
business through.Please, get in touch with me by telephone or fax to enable us
discuss further about the details of this transaction.Send your reponse to my
most private email address: francislim10@gmail.com

Yours truly,
Barr. Francis Lim
Advocates & Solicitors

_______________________________________________________
Instituto Departamental de Salud de Nariño
Calle 14 Numero 28-20 Plazuela de Bomboná
Telefono 7235314
http://www.idsn.gov.co

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam