419 scam: "barrister.fred Mike" <barrister.fredmikex23@yahoo.com.hk> Dear Friend,

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "huge deposit" (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.)
- "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.
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.
- barfredmike1@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "barrister.fred Mike" <barrister.fredmikex23@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: barfredmike1@yahoo.co.jp
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 01:57:06 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Dear Friend,

ASSOCIATES
(LEGAL PRACTITIONER)
No: 85, Western Avenue,
Surulere, Lagos.
Email(barfredmike1@yahoo.co.jp)

Dear Friend,

It is obvious that this proposal will come to you as a surprise; this is
because we have not met before but I am inspired to sending you this email
following the huge fund transfer opportunity that will be of mutual
benefit to the two of us.

However, I am Barrister Fred Mike, Attorney to the late Engr. Ronald
Johnson, a national of Northern American, who used to work with Shell
Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Nigeria On the 11th of November,
2002. My client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car
accident along Sagamu/Lagos Express Road.

Unfortunately they all lost their lives in the event of the accident,
since then I have made several inquiries to several Embassies to locate
any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his
relatives over the Internet to locate any member of his family but of no
avail, hence I contacted you.

I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left
behind by my client; I can easily convince the bank with my legal practice
that you are the only surviving relation of my client. Otherwise the
Estate he left behind will be confiscated or declared unserviced by the
bank where this huge deposits were lodged. Particularly, the Bank where
the deceased had an account valued at about $15 million U.S dollars
(Fifteen million U.S. America dollars).

Consequently, The bank issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or
have the account confiscated within the next ten official working days.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over several
years now. I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the
deceased, so that the proceeds of this account valued at $15million U.S
dollars can be paid to your account and then you and I can share the
money, 50% to me and 50% to you.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal
through and also forward the following to me:

(1) YOUR FULL NAMES:----------%------------- ------
(2) YOUR HOUSE ADDRESS:--------------------
(3) YOUR CURRENT PHONE NUMBER/S:---------------
(4) YOUR FAX NUMBER IF ANY:------------------------
(5) YOUR AGE/GENDER:------------------- ------------------------------
(6) YOUR OCCUPATION:------------------- -------
(7)YOUR PASSPORT /ID CARD,
I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law.
Please get in touch with me VIA this my confidential email
(barfredmike1@yahoo.co.jp)
Yours Faithfully,
Barrister Fred mike (SAN)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam