419 scam: Pete Mikel <pete9880@att.net> Confirm your Receipt of this mail...

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: Pete Mikel <pete9880@att.net>
Reply-To: nbm1945@live.com
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2011 04:55:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Confirm your Receipt of this mail...

Dear Friend,

I wish to solicit your kind and urgent assistance. My name is Pete Mikel, The legal adviser (for almost two decades) to a couple who lost their lives 7 months ago in an auto crash. Unfortunately, they died childless with no known relatives or next of kin.

The deceased left behind the sum of $15.8 million with a finance/Security Company. The bank awaits me to present to them the beneficiary to the account. So I decided to seek your consent in presenting your name to the bank as the next of kin of the deceased.

As the lawyer to the deceased, nobody will question me if i present you as the next of kin to the deceased. Moreover, I know the exact legal requirements and documents to show proof that you are actually the next of kin/beneficiary of the deceased. I can assure you that this is my specialty and there is nothing for you to be afraid of. I will handle and provide for all that it will take legally. After which the bank will be satisfied to transfer the fund from the account of the deceased to yours.

My interest is to take 60% of the funds while you take 30%, while the remaining 10% will be disbursed to any Orphanage-Home of our common choice.

Please communicate your decision to me urgently, so that we can talk it over. I advice that you make this confidential.

Sincerely yours,

Pete Mikel.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam