419 scam: "Bob Chen" <bobchen674@yahoo.com> RE: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:

The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (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 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.
- +447087621967 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "Bob Chen" <bobchen674@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2014 18:36:51 +0800
Subject: RE:URGENT

Bob Chen LLB
Will & Probate Solicitors
Kings Place, 90 York Way London N1 9GU
Telephone: +447087621967

Dear Friend,

I wish to introduce you to a business deal which would be beneficial to both of us and
which has to be kept confidential. I am contacting you because I believe that you are
capable of handling the deal and I want to invest my money in your country. My name is
Mr. Bob Chen, a Lawyer based in England. I wish to seek your
consent to present you as next of kin to my late client (Kurt Kahle), who died in the
year 2000 in a plane crash involving Air France Concorde flight 4590 Paris leaving
behind the
sum of GBP 11,520,000.00 (Eleven Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand Pounds) in a
Bank in UK and no next of kin to inherit the money.

With your assistance and my professional advice we can get access to the money because I
was his Attorney and all the members of the Family died in the Plane Crash. You can as
well confirm this news at the BBC News website
:(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/859479.stm).As you get in touch with me, we
shall discuss the modalities of sharing i.e.the Percentage you shall take as your own
share and what shall be my own share. I look forward to your positive response at your
earliest convenience time.The Bank has written me twice to present his Next of Kin. You
are therefore requested to include your correct address and full name which shall be
used for legal documentations prior to the consummation of the transaction and possibly
your home, office and cellular numbers; so that I will call to give you further
clarification.

Regards,
Barrister Bob Chen

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam