419 scam: BARRISTER JOHN SMITH <dawn.watson@tesco.net> (no subject)

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "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. )
- "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)
- "million 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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "johns92101@outlook.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- +447024042732 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: BARRISTER JOHN SMITH <dawn.watson@tesco.net>
Reply-To: BARRISTER JOHN SMITH <johns92101@outlook.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 01:56:41 +0000 (UTC)
Subject:

Attn:

I am BARRISTER John Smith, a solicitor at law. I am the personal attorney to Mr. Adreas Kretz, a Indian National, that worked with Company in Indian. Hereinafter shall be referred to as my client. On the 21st day of April 1999, my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along New-Deli
All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries through Indian embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives and this has also proved unsuccessful.

After these several unsuccessful attempts to locate any member of his family to no avail,I am therefore compelled to contact you. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Reserve bank of Indian [RBI] where this huge deposit were lodged.

Particularly, the bank where the deceased had an account valued at about $6 million dollars has 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 3 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 $6 million dollars can be paid to you so that we can share the money.60% to me and 40% to you I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make.

All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through.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 through my private e-mail or phone number +44 702 404 2732 to enable us discuss further about this transaction.

send me in your return mail Your Real Names .....Home Address.....Age.....Occupation....Phone.....International Passport or Driver's Lenience I could know who I'm dealing with.

REPLY TO the above email address or johns92101@outlook.com

Best regards,

BARRISTER JOHN SMITH

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam