419 scam: "Charlesw Williams"<kleanthis@epiphaniou-group.com> Please get in touch with me immediately.

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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.

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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:
- "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.

Fraud email example:

From: "Charlesw Williams" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <charleswilliams_100@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2014 15:48:39 +0100
Subject: Please get in touch with me immediately.

Attn ,
I am Barrister Charles Williams, a solicitor at law. My client, his wife and their only son were involved in a Bomb Blast in Idumabgo-Lagos Island.

The whole occupants of the in building unfortunately lost there lives which included my client and his family. Since then I have made several enquiries to their embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of his family but of no avail. Hence i have contacted you to assist in repatriating the fund valued at US$7.5million left behind by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP (ADB), where this huge amount is deposited. The said bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated within the next fourteen official working days.
For the fact that I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for some years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased.

I have all necessary information and legal documents needed to back you up for claim. All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

Please get in touch with me immediately.

Best Regards,
Barrister Charles Williams.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam