419 scam: "Barrister Ansah West." <fola@aioros.ocn.ne.jp> Get back to me asap.

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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.)
- "barr." (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 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.
- barr.ansahwest@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barrister Ansah West." <fola@aioros.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Barrister Ansah West." <barr.ansahwest@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Jul 2013 19:48:47 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Get back to me asap.

FROM BARR.ANSAH WEST.

I hope this meets you in good health. May I introduce this life changing project to you.My Name is Barrister Ansah West a legal practitioner and Attorney to late family of Mr.Andreas Schranner who died in the plane crash of Union des Transports Africains (UTA) flight Boeing 727 in,25th December,2003,13:22 GMT 14:22 UK with his entire family and with no trace to any other surviving relative after my exhaustive efforts in the past 9 years.

It is based on these that I contact you,I want you to stand as my late client's next of kin/beneficiary to claim this cash deposit for the benefit of both of us.By virtue of my brief and closeness to the deceased family,I am very much aware of their financial standing, which they operated here in location I shall disclose to you as we progress which will be based on the sensitive details concerning these deposit at my disposal, which am very sure I am the only person privy to these information.

My late client was an influential wealthy Oil engineer/contractor and he left behind a substantial amount of money in multiple millions of Dollars with a Security and Finance company in a location/country which I can not disclose over the internet for security reasons. You are at liberty to negotiate the share ratio with me.

I will intimate you with more details soon as I receive your swift reply. Please do include your direct phone number in your response. You may also reply through my e-mail: barr.ansahwest@hotmail.com .

Once I receive it,I will call you to discuss the modalities with you.

Best Regards,
Barrister Ansah West.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam