419 scam: "Hon. Barrister D. Wilson" <donalex12124@gmail.com> Dear Mr.Alan S. Banks ,

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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:
- "transferred into your bank account" (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)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "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.
- +22998934767 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Hon. Barrister D. Wilson" <donalex12124@gmail.com>
Reply-To: barrdonaldwilson@hotmail.fr
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 05:23:15 -0700
Subject: Dear Mr.Alan S. Banks ,

Dear Mr.Alan S. Banks ,

I wish to acknowledge the receipt of your email response to my offer;
I thank you and request your honest interest to assisting me in this
great mutual transaction. However, note that I am a legal
practitioner with many years experience to my cap and as such will not
and cannot engage in any illegal or illegitimate affair.

Meanwhile, I contacted you to prosecute this transaction with me based
on trust, for this reason you have to assure me that this fund will be
safe when transferred into your bank account and you are not going to
betray me in this transaction. I would have loved to have a meeting
with you but because of my work it will not be possible till this fund
is transferred into your account then I will be with you for the
disbursement of the fund. In the first instance what I want you to do
in this transaction is to stand as the bona-fide next of kin to the
deceased Mr. George Kaul since you both share the same surname.

I am going to present you as the next of kin to my deceased client
because the man in question (Mr. George Kaul) did not write any will
before he died with his family in the plane crash. For this reason the
bank is ready to welcome any person who will come up as the next of
kin to the deceased by showing some proof like his account number with
them and the amount involved. I am going to furnish you with all these
vital information.

I want to guarantee you that there is no risk involved in this
business so far you can abide by my guidance and instructions. You
have to know that all the under ground works has been neatly done. At
your response, I will give you an Agreement on how we shall share the
fund when transferred to your account and after that a Text of Formal
Application Form for you to fill and send to the bank for the claims
of the fund. This transfer process will take us about 7 to 8 working
days to be completed.

I want you to maintain the confidentiality aspect of this transaction.
You have to keep it to yourself because no body here is aware that I
am using you to claim the money as the next of kin to my client till
this fund gets into your account. I don't want any thing that will
tarnish my image or destroy my political career in the next
presidential election.

My regards,

Hon. Barrister D. Wilson
+229 98 93 47 67

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam