419 scam: "Peace Brown" <info@pgumaduassociates.com> Dear: Friend

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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:
- "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.)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "Peace Brown" <info@pgumaduassociates.com>
Reply-To: peace.brown@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 06:14:42 -0500
Subject: Dear: Friend

Dear: Friend

This is a law firm and I am an attorney at law
under this firm. I therefore seek your consent to present you as the
heir/heiress or the beneficiary of my late client deceased estate, so
that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you.Then we can share
the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. This office as legal
representatives of the deceased was issued 6 months ago with a notice
to contact heir/heiress, or the account will be confiscated.I
advertised this issue but no one has turned up for this period
prompting me to write this letter to you as a last resort to avoid the
money from being taken by the state.

Based on your last name I
am contacting you to assist in distributing the money and other assets
left behind by my client of which the other assets will be revealed at
a later date once this money is successfully transferred.The transfer
has to be done before everything is confiscated or declared
unserviceable by the bank where this deposit valued at US29.7 million
dollars is lodged.

Note that it is not compulsory that the heir
must be a blood relation to the deceased,and no DNA TEST will be
conducted An heir could be anybody, Friends, Church, School or
Organization etc..If you agree to work with me and we keep this matter
confidential then get to me for more details.

All I require is
your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through.This
will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you
from any breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your
moral values,do accept my apology.

Best regards,

Barrister. Peace Brown
Partner/Senior Attorney.
United Kingdom

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam