419 scam: "John Woodhouse (Esq)" <contact@meibd.com> From John Woodhouse (Esq)

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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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "John Woodhouse (Esq)" <contact@meibd.com>
Reply-To: tuberij@live.jp
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2013 09:19:47 -0500
Subject: From John Woodhouse (Esq)

WALLACE LLP
One Portland Place
London, W1B 1PN.

Dear friend,

I am John Woodhouse (Esq) of WALLACE LLP, London, United Kingdom. I
was the personal attorney to Andreas Schranner, a German who worked at
Mount Resources Ltd, a geologist by profession who died in AF4590
crash since 2000 along side with his entire family (wife Maria,their
daughter Andrea Eich, her husband Christian, and their children
Katharina 8, and Maximilian 10).

Please log on here to see for your self,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm

Before his death, he deposited the sum of Sixteen Million Five Hundred
Thousand British Pounds Sterling with a bank here in London. This bank
has recently notified me of their intention to confisicate this funds
if i do not present the beneficiary or the deceased representative.
Following this mandate, i have been forced to present any of the
family members of my late client to the bank, but all my efforts to
reach his relatives has been unsuccessful.

I have contacted you purely on the personal conviction of trust and
confidence to assist in the claim and release of this funds to you for
our mutual benefits. I will use my recognized office to prepare every
necessary document as proof, furnish you with adequate information
about my late client that will back you up in this claim and i shall
provide all legal services to warrant the release of this funds to you
as the beneficiary. At the successful completion of this transaction,
we shall share the funds, 40% for you and 60% for me.

As i await your positive response, i would appreciate if you could
keep this proposal secret even if you are not capable or do not want
to assist me.

I look forward to your prompt reply.

Respectfully yours,

John Woodhouse, Esq.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam