False Promises of Inheritance - Spam Email Fraud
By Aaron Larson
Law Offices of Aaron Larson
July, 2004
Contents
- How Does This Email Fraud Work
- How Did They Find Me?
- What Harm Is There In Contacting Them, "Just In Case"?
- Sample Spam Emails
- Who Are The People Named In The Emails?
- What Can I Do About Spam Email?
The fantasy has come true - a long-lost relative you have never heard of has died, and you just received an email from a barrister or lawyer indicating that you are the only heir. Well, not quite. Somebody with your last name died without any heirs, and the promise is that if you can prove that you actually have the same last name the barrister will send you his milions. All you have to do is pay some legal fees, and fax over your identification....
How Does This Email Fraud Work?
Inheritance frauds are run by criminals who obtain email lists which include recipients' names - although lazier criminals don't even bother trying to match names between the decedents and the recipients of their spam. They then create mass mailings based upon those lists, describing how a fictional individual with the same last name died without heirs, usually in a remote part of the world. If a recipient replies to the email, the criminal will engage in what is called an "advance fee" fraud, and attempt to convince that person to send money to pay for legal fees, bribes, or other expenses. (The term "advance fee" refers to the money they get from you - and despite their promises of riches, you never get a cent in return.) The criminal may also attempt to get copies of the person's identification cards, bank account information, and other information which can be used to forge bank drafts or commit identity theft.
Sometimes, the fees and bribes these people describe will seem small, particularly in comparison to the riches they offer. But there is no upside - even if you are only "risking" $30 or $40, you'll lose that money forever. And if you send your bank account information or personal identification, it is possible that the criminals will be able to empty your bank account or obtain credit in your name.
This fraud is closely related to the so-called Nigerian Email Fraud (419 scam), as well as lottery fraud. The same groups of criminals may engage in multiple types of fraud.
How Did They Find Me?
Most people who have an email address for any significant amount of time receive so-called "spam email" (more politely known as "unsolicited commercial email.") Spammers create lists of email addresses by collecting them from websites, buying them from other businesses, and even by guessing possible names on popular email hosts such as Yahoo! mail and Hotmail. It is possible to buy large email lists for relatively small amounts of money. Most people who are running these scams get spam mailing lists in this manner, or buy them from spammers.
What Harm Is There In Contacting Them, "Just In Case"?
There is no point in contacting them "just in case" - no one has ever received the promised money. You won't, either.
Also, the scammer is likely to try to obtain from you information that can be used to fake your identity and commit credit card fraud or bank fraud. Even if they only get your name and bank account number they may be able to forge a bank draft, obtain a fraudulent money transfer from your account, or get credit using your name. If you give them any information, they will try to use it to cheat you.
Sample Spam Emails
The following are sample spam emails from this particular scam:
Example #1Inland Bank plc. Dear Friend, Please forgive me if I intrude your privacy, we do not know each other but it does not matter. what matters is transperency between us in this deal. I am Mr favor Adim Duke an Accountant with Inland Bank plc. I came to know about you in my private search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this confidencial business transaction. A foreigner, Late Engr Burke Sean a Contractor with the Federal Government Of until his death in Korean Air flight 801, which Crashed in Guam on August 1997, banked with us here at Inland Bank P.l .c and had a closing balance of US$20.5M (Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) which the bank unquestionably expects it to be claimed by any available next of kin of the late beneficiary or alternatively be donated to a discredited trust fund for Arms and Ammunition at a Military War College here in Nigeria. Valuable effort have been made by the Inland bank to get in-touch with any of the Burke's family or relative but proved to no avail. it is because of the perceived possiblity of not being able to locate any of the late Engr. Burke Sean's next of kin that the management under the influence of our chairman and Members Of The Boards Of Director, Mr I Yuguda, that an arrangement be made for the funds to be declared Unclaimable and subsequently be donated to the Trust Fund for Arms and Ammunition to further Enhance the course of war in Africa and the World in General as you know that war will eventually bring destruction to man kind. In order to avert this negative development, I now seek your permissionto have you stand as the Next-Of-Kin Of . Engr Burke Sean so that the funds US$ 20.5M (Twenty Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars) would be release and pay into your Bank Account as the Next Of Kin. This is a deal between you and I only as all Documents and proofs to enable you get this Fund will be carefully Worked out and more so I am, Assuring you a 100% Risk Free Involvment in this deal. your share out of the $20.5m depends on our agreement as we procceed with the deal. I will also like to invest my own part of the money in your country with your help after the transfer. If this Proposal is all right by you then kindly get back to me by e-mailingme thanking you in anticipation of your co-operation. I like if you visit this web site for more clarification on clash. (http://ns.gov.gu/guam/index.html) Yours Faithfully, Example #2Attn: To Whom It May Concern . This letter is not intended to cause any embarrassment in whatever form, rather it is intended to contact your esteemed self, following the knowledge of your high repute and trustworthiness. Firstly, I must solicit your confidentiality. I know that a proposal of this magnitude will make anyone apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that it is made in good faith and will be of mutual benefit. I am Barrister Rotimi Adams, the personal attorney to Mr James Maxwell,herein after referred to as my client, a national of your country, who until his death was a major crude oil contractor with the federal government of Nigeria. My client and his entire family were involved in a fatal motor accident, which unfortunately claimed their lives, along the Sagamu express road, sparing none of the occupants of the vehicle. I have since then made several enquiries to your Embassy, in a bid to locate any relation of my client, and these efforts of mine have not been productive. I then decided to trace his last name over the Internet, and came across your name that is why I have contacted you to assist me in securing the money and property left behind by my client before they are declared as unclaimed and unserviceable by the bank where they have been lodged for safekeeping. I am particularly interested in securing the funds lodged with Global Trust Bank Plc, totaling fiften Million, United States Dollar (USD15M). This is because the said Bank has issued a notice to me, unequivocally instructing me to produce the Next of Kin/Beneficiary to the said account within the next ten official working days, or have the account confiscated. Considering my lack of success in my bid to locate his relatives for over two years, I solicit your consent to enable me produce you as! The Next of Kin to my deceased client, since you both bear the same last name. The funds will then be transferred to you as the beneficiary and shared according to a proposed sharing pattern /ratio of 70:30 i.e. 70% for me and 30% for you. I will provide all the necessary legally obtained documents to back up any claim we make regarding this process, and will just require your understanding and cooperation to enable us achieve success within a legitimate arrangement, eliminating any liability resulting from any breach of the prevalent laws. Your urgent response will be highly appreciated; you can as well forward to me your Telephone number immediately for more discussion, you could also reach me at: rotimiadams53@yahoo.com Thank you. Best Regards, Barrister Rotimi Adams |
Who Are The People Named In The Emails?
In order to make these spam emails seem more real, the scammers use a wide assortment of fake names, and at times also use the names of real people. The following lists of names reflects only a small percentage of the fake names used in this scam, which are frequently recombined into new names:
Common First Names |
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| Abba Abbas Abdul Abdulahi Abdullahi Abel Abiola Abraham Abubakar Abubaker Ada Adaeze Adam Adams Adamu Ade Adedoyin Ademola Adeola Adewale Adewole Adim Afam Agada Agatha Agu Ahmed Aisha Aishatou Ajao Ajinni Alahaja Alahaji Albert Alex Alexi Alhaja Ali Alice Allen Almendo Ama Amade Amadi Ambrose Amechi Amina Aminu Ammed Anderson Andreas Andrew Andy Angel Angela Anil Ann Anthony Antonio Aram Arap Aret Aroujo Arthur Arthur-Authur Aruna Astonoos Atakata Atinuke Austin Baba Babriel Babs Bada Bagudu Bakasu Baldwin Bangi Barry Basher Bashir Bassey Bayola Bello Ben Benson |
Bernard Bimbo Blessing Bob Bode Bola Boniface Bowazi Broga Brown Bruce Buba Bulawa Carlos Cecilia Cesar Charles Charllotte Charly Chidiebere Chika Chike Chinonyere Chris Christopher Chuba Chucks Chyke Cinon Cisse Clement Cletus Cliff Clifford Coker Cole Collins Comfort Coulibaly Cynthia Cyril Daisy Dango Daniel Danladi Dantata Danzumi Dave David Davidson Davies Davis Deacon Dele Denis Dennis Desmond Diaka Dickson Dikachi Dikko Dolor Domas Dominic Don Donald Douglas Edema Eden Eduado Edward Edwin Efe Ehi Ejercitor Ejike Eki Ekoe Elder Eli Elizabeth Eloke El-Saleh Emeka Emmanuel Ephraim |
Esenam Eugo Evan Evans Ezeoke Ezikel Faith Fatimah Favor Fedi Fela Felix Femi Fimon Fogan Francis Frank Franklin Fred Fusham Gabriel Gabril Gambo George Gideon Gilbert Giwa Godswill Godwin Gomez Good Goodluck Graham Greg Hafiz Haija Haja Hajia Hama Hamza Hartman Hassan Helina Henri Henry Hillary Howard Humble Ibe Ibrahim Iddo Idris Idrissa Ighene Ike Ikomo Imam Innocent Inu Isa Isaac Isabella Isabelle Isah Isiko Ismalia Itah Iurine Ivan Jacob Jacobs Jaja James Jelingo Jennifer Jerry Jewel Jide Jim Jimmy Joe Joel John Johnny Johnson Jonas |
Jonathan Jonson Joseph Jospin Juliet Julius Kabila Kabungo Kals Kamara Karlman Kasiw Kasky Kelvin Kema Ken Kenneth Kesayi Keven Khalil Kimo King Kingsley Koffi Kofi Kola Kolawole Krisobed Kumalo Lady Laila Larry Lauren Laurent Lawrence Leslie Lewis Lexi Lilian Lizzy Loi Louise Lucky Luis Lulu Mabel Maimo Malam Malik Mamabolo Maraa Marcaty Marcey Mariam Marian Maris Mark Martin Martins Mary Maryam Masheba Mathew Matthew Matilda Matsumoto Mbeki Mboma Meka Menard Michael Micheal Mick Midakabe Mike Miller Miram Miriam Miriame Mobuto Mobutu Mohammed Momoh Monday Monica Moning |
Morris Mose Moses Moshood Moustapha Mubetee Muboto Mugu Muha Munirat Murphy Musa Nasel Nelly Nelson Nelumba Ngobe Nicholas Nkala Nkono Nnengi Nora Nzaga Nzanga Obinna Obrien Odeh Ogechukwu Ohunola Ojo Okon Okwunudu Olabode Oliver Olivia Olu Olufemi Oluremi Onuigbo Osa Osas Oscar Owens Oyinbolowo Pakwesi Pass Patrick Paul Pedro Pemako Peter Peter Peters Phil Philip Philips Pittson Pius Prince Princess Quamey Ralph Rasheed Rashidat Rawal Rawlings Raymond Raymound Renah Rex Reymound Richard Robert Robertson Roger Roland Rose Roseline Rotimi Roy Ruben Rufus Sadiq Safari Sakombi Salim |
Salisu Sam Samson Samuel Sani Sanku Sanni Sanusi Segun Seko Seom Sesay Sese Sese-Seko Sesey Shamsudeen Shika Sifa Sikiratu Simpson Sisilu Smith Sodindo Solomon Sonto Spibat Spiff Stanley Stella Steve Steven Sugi Sunny T.J. Tambo Tanko Tao Taufiq Te Teddy Tete Thabo Thaddee Theophilus Thomas Timothy Tina Tobi Tom Tony Tunde Tunji Tutu Uba Uche Ud. Ugo Ume Umoru Usman Usmanlar Vencent Vicky Victor Vincent Viviana Wanga Wilfred William Williams Willy Wilson Woo Yakubu Yanate Yank Yemi Yesuf Yetunde Yusuf Yusuff Zack Zizo |
Common Surnames |
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| Aba Abaca Abacha Abagbon Abass Abdalla Abdul Abdullahi Abelange Abiola Abu Abudu Abure Adams Adamsa Adebayo Adebisi Ademola Adeola Adeyemo Afor Agbaje Agbaka Agbon Agu Ahmed Ajah Ajayi Ajegbo Akinde Akpan Akpata Aku Ali Allens Allevanmento Almustapha Aluga Amanze Amu Anderson Andreas Ani Ankoh Annan Anthony Anyaso Aremu Arlett Asika Atiku Aturamu Auscar Austin Awka Ayele Ayo Azziz Baba Bachoo Backo Badamasi Baddar Bakare Baker Baki Bako Bamaiyi Bamawo Banana Bankole Barabara Barinajo Bassey Bello Ben Bendel Benin Benzer Bidwell Biko Biodun Bioku Boateng Boboh Bola Bonoh Boro Bouneb Bouned Bozimor Brown Brume Bry Buchiza Buku Bule Burudu |
Cassy Cethswayo Charly Chika Chikwe Chikwelu Chimalu Chimerenma Chiroma Chong Chuba Chucks Chukwaka Chukwu Chukwuka Chumas Clark Coco Coffi Coker Cole Collince Conde Coudere Creek Cyril Dabo Daggash Daji Dako Danbaba Danga Danguzo Daniel Danjuma Dantata Daramola David Delese De-Mello Dibongo Dickson Dike Dikko Diop Dominic Donka Donminic Douglas Dube Dubem Dukas Duke Dulaye Dumbushe Dusi Dziba Ebemen Edgerly Edward Efetobor Ego Egobia Egoh Eke Ekene Eko Ela Ellsworth Emeka Eneli Enjankalah Estrada Eze Ezeka Ezihe Fadi Faith Falana Fawaz Fernandez Fofanna Fologo Francis Frank Gabr Gaius-Obaseki Galeano Gamal Gambo Gana Garba Garuba Garvin Gezi Gida Gin Girai |
Gozie Gozie Graham Guei Guobadia Gwarzo Hadi Haji Hajia Halsad Hama Hanis Hans Harold Hasler Hassan Henry Hermann Hilary Hinder Ho Hoza Ibada Ibe Ibori Ibrahim Idah Idodo Idris Ifedigbo Ige Igho Ike Ikechukwu Ikeg Imole Iseac Ismaila Jack Jacobson Jaems James Jan Jato Jeef Jega Jegah Job Joe John Johnson Jones Joseph Judy Julius Justice Kabango Kabba Kabia Kabila Kabiru Kabo Kadiar Kadiri Kadoso Kallom Kaloma Kamala Kamara Kamela Kananga Kanjo Kanma Kano Kante Kanu Kanzinza Kareem Kargbo Karimu Katsina Kayode Kazim Kazulu Kelly Kengo Khoroma Kings Kingsolo Klen Kobe Kofi Kojo Kola Konare Kone Kosoko Kossi |
Kpama Kumalo Kumar Kwame Kwami Kwayas Kwema Lamba Lambert Lamin Lamine Lappeman Larry Law Lawrence Lee Lima Luck Lukman Lumbe Lumumba Luseni Mabuzo Madaki Madibe Maduka Mahanya Mahata Makabo Makosana Makujo Makura Malatu Malik Malinga Mamba Mambo Mamumbi Manga Mantins Manu Mark Markson Marshal Martin Martins Marve Maryam Masala Masarah Masebe Masekela Masele Masinga Massaquoe Mathews Maxwell Mayoka Mbane Mbata Mbeki Mbomam McCarthy McDonald Mensah Merimbe Mesquita Mobutu Modibbo Moha Mohammed Moi Molo Mongan Monte Moore Moses Moudebelu Mowete Mpeti Mubane Mugabi Mukalele Mukembe Mukhenze Mulete Mulete Musa Mushagike Mushasha Mustapha Mutumba Muzomba Myers Nanakobi Nandu Naverro |
Ndiefi Ndiye Nekeson Ngayaka Ngoyah Njaye Nkenchor Nkrumah Nkunu Nneji Nobuhiro Nokiri Nomvete Normark Nujoma Numa Nwanne Nwodo Nzam Nzeh Obaseki Obi Oboh Obong Obule Odetayo Odey Odia Odiwo Odoms Oduru Ogaga Ogbe Ogbemudia Oguejiofor Oguma Ohaegbu Oji Ojo Oka Okada Okeke Okemadu Okhai Okilo Okocha Okoh Okokobiok Okokobioko Okoli Okoma Okon Okoro Okoye Oladokun Olawuyi Olems Oli Olu Omana Omo Omorodion Omotoriola One Onuoha Onwuka Ordi Osage Osagie Oshioke Ossai Osunde Otoo Owie Owo Owode Ozor Patrick Paul Pearse Pepple Peter Philips Phillips Piedo Pinheiro Pius Potricio Powell Princewill Pujeh Radebe Rasak Raymond Reginald Reni Rimi |
Robert Roberts Rotimi Rovet Roy Sadiq Sakaita Sakushi Salama Salami Saleh Salihu Salingo Sambo Samjo Samson Sanko Sankoh Sanusi Savimbi Scott Seki Seko Sese Seseseko Sese-Seko Setia Shiku Shongwe Siliza Smith Soni Sossah Star Stephen Stevens Steves Stride Sule Tambo Tanko Tao Tarawarlly Taylor Tchii Tekere Tete Thambo Thesday Thomas Tikko Tobi Tshedu Tshombe Tukur Turay Tussa Uba Ubah Ubong Udoh Udom Udu Ugo Ugoma Umundi Useni Usman Vuyo Walker Walter Watanabe Watara Water Waziri Weah Welch West Wetaego White William Williams Yakubu Yasa Yengeni Yerima Yerima Yuen Zabina Zakari Zemede Zimbabwe Zoba Zondeki Zulu Zuma |
What Can I Do About Spam Email?
The best approach to avoiding spam is ordinarily to be very careful about the distribution of your email address. Once you start to receive spam at a particular email address, you will usually end up receiving increasing amounts of spam at that address no matter what you do. There is filtering technology which some find helpful, which helps to screen out spam email from legitimate email. Please review this associated article about the problem of spam email, and possible steps to avoid it.
You may also visit our Consumer Law Forums, and post information about the spam email.
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