419 scam: "Mr James Inana" <jamesjamesjames111@live.com> READ...

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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:

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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "necessary legal documents" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "million 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)
- "% will be for you" (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.)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr James Inana" <jamesjamesjames111@live.com>
Reply-To: james_inana@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2012 14:48:39 -0600
Subject: READ...

FROM THE DESK OF BARRISTER JAMES INANA.
Law Chamber Principal Attorney
Barrister James Inana & Associates
44, Kofo Abayomi Avenue,
Victoria Island,
Lagos-Nigeria.

Kindly accept my apology for sending unsolicited mail to you. I believe
you are a highly respected personality, considering the fact that I
sourced your profile from a human resource profile database on your
country. Though, I do not know to what extent you are familiar with
events.

Well, I am Barrister James Inana, a Solicitor. I am the Personal Attorney
to Mr.Steve A. who used to work with Agip Oil Company in Nigeria. On the
21st of April 2004, his wife and their three children were involved in a
car accident along Abuja Express Road.

Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the event of the
accident.Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to
locate any of my client's relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
Afterthese several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives
over the Internet to locate any member of his family but to no avail,
hence,I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by
my client in a Bank.

Particularly, the Finance House where the deceased deposited the US$15
Million (Fifteen Million United States Dollars only) knows me very well
and has ask me to present some one to claim the fund left my late client
as they all know I am his attorney.

Consequently, this Bank issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin to
claim the US$15 Million (Fifteen Million United States Dollars only) in
their custody within the next ten official working days. Since I have been
unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, Iseek your
consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased to claim the
fund as the Next of Kin to him so that the Bank will transfer thefund to
your account.

Upon receipt of the fund, I will come over to your country to meet with
you for the disbursement of the fund and then you and I will share the
money in this order:60% will be for me, 40% will be for you. I have all
the necessary legal documents that can back our claim we may make with the
Bank.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us seeing this deal
through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate
arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Best regards.

Barrister James Inana
Principal Attorney

Anti-fraud resources:

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