419 scam: "Barrister Alba Bernard"<alba.b@chambers.org> Treat As Urgent

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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:
- "demurrage " (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. )
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "barr." (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +2347026967080 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Alba Bernard" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <customerservices.tnt@live.nl>
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2012 13:25:32 +0100
Subject: Treat As Urgent

Hello,

I just want to inform you that I have deposited your ATM MASTER CARD
of Eight Hundred Thousand United state dollars $800.000.00 USD to
the TNT Express Delivery Services here in West Africa, due to the
fact that i have waited long enough to hear from you so that your funds
will be transferred through CENTRAL BANK OF AFRICA (BOA) here, but
because of the late response I now decide to deposit the ATM
MASTER CARD with the TNT Express Delivery services with your
previous information's you listed at that time.

I have paid to them their delivery charges & insurance coverage fee,
the only fee left to be paid again is their security safe keeping fee of
$80 Eighty Dollars only, i would have also paid for the security keeping
fee but the TNT Courier service advice me not to because they don't
know when you will contacting them and just in case to avoid
demurrage payment.

I will be traveling to IRAQ for a business trip and I may not
return untill next month,Therefore i will advise you to contact the
track & trace shipment officer with his contact information as
listed below for the avoidance of increase of their security
safe keeping fee.

Note that I packaged the ATM MASTER CARD inside a magazine where
nobody will notice the content, I also told the shipment officer
Dr. Khalid Divya, that it is ordinary African magazine I want to
deliver to my friend abroad, to avoid further delay unless you
delay to send their security safe keeping fee. Make sure you
contact him through this Email Address: customerservice112.tnt@tnctr.com

Below is the shipment officer contact information including his email
address with the parcel reference number, note that without you
indicating your parcel number as listed below the TNT Express
Courier will not listen to you they will be imagining if you
want to steal another persons parcel.

Shipment Officer Of TNT Express Courier Nigeria.

Attention: Dr. Khalid Divya
E-mail: customerservice112.tnt@tnctr.com
Tel: +234-702-696-7080
Shipment Code: TNT/PARCEL/0567
Parcel Number: PN0092

Also below is the information they need to deliver the ATM MASTER CARD
in form of African Magazine to your address, this is to avoid wrong
delivery as i already gave them your delivery address but you have
to re-confirm it to them.

Full name......................
Home address............
Country....................
Telephone...............

Please make sure the information is complete as they promised that once
they receive their security safe keeping fee within 2 to 3 working days
the magazine will arrive at your door step according to the shipment
schedule.

Once again, the TNT Express Delivery Service do not know the content of
the parcel, I registered it as an African magazine they don't know it
contains ATM MASTERCARD inside, this is to avoid them delaying the
delivery for Tax reasons and besides i don't want you to lose your inheritance funds.

Your ATM MASTER CARD withdrawing access pin code number is (9774) take
note,once you receive the card, you can take it to any cash point around
your area and slot it into any ATM machine and enter the pin code
for withdrawal, the amount you are to withdrew per day is
USD$15,000. (Fifteen Thousand Dollars) each day. Also ask
them on how you are to make the payment for the security fee
to them so they can effect immediate delivery of the consignment parcel.

Remain blessed and enjoy your funds.

Sincerely,
Barr. Alba Bernard.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam