419 scam: Barrister peter olu <officessuss----333@att.net> ATTENETION: BENEFICIARY:

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- +22998677751 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- genpeterolu@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Barrister peter olu <officessuss----333@att.net>
Reply-To: genpeterolu@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:44:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTENETION: BENEFICIARY:

ATTENETION: BENEFICIARY:

I WRITE TO INFORM YOU THAT I HAVE OBTAIN ALL THE DOCUMENT THAT WILL COVER YOUR PAYMENT EVERY DAY SO ONCE WE START TRANSFER YOUR PAYMENT TO YOU NOTHING WILL STOP IT AGAIN BECAUSE ALL THE DOCUMENT WE HAVE OBTAIN ARE OK,

But the only problem we are having right here is your personal signatures which the federal administer of fund Benin republic requested that you must signed on these certificate before we can commence on your fund transfer.

I personal told the officer in charge that it will not be necessary for you to come down here due to your occupation or any other thing that may in hinder you to come down here and signed the document in person.

But the Minster administrator of fund said if you can not able to come down here in person, that you must get an attorney who will signed those certificates on your behalf.

And I personal believe that this is the only way we are going to succeed on this very fund transfer, so I want out to look for a good lawyer who will do the signing on your behalf after all my effort I have being able to get Barrister Peter Olu who agree to signed the certificate on your behalf with the sum of $130, but I pleaded with him to signed the certificate on your behalf at least when you received your first installment of $5,000 you will pay him the $130 with interest, but he refused and said if you can not be able to come up with the total fee right now, you can send the half of the payment which is the sum of $65.then once you received your first payment of $5000 you will pay the balance of $65 with interest.

If you are satisfied with the above directives kindly send the half of the fee to the attorney with the information below:
Barrister peter olu
Email: (genpeterolu@yahoo.com.hk )

SEND THIS NEEDED $65 NOW THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THE INFORMATIONS BELLOW:

RECEIVER NAME -----Anthony Onyibor
LOCATION CITY------Cotonou
COUNTRY-----------Benin Republic
TEXT QUESTION-----HOW LONG
ANSWER-----------TODAY
AMOUNT-----------$65.00 Only
MTCN -----------
Senders Name; ------

As soon as the attorney confirm the fee from you he will signed the certificate on your behalf so that we can start on your fund transfer.

Bear it in mind that your total fund is the sum of $1.5 million and you will be receiving the sum of $5,000 per day until you received your total fund completely.

Get back to me once you made the payment to the attorney so that he can signed the certificate today to enable us commence on your fund transfer.

FROM WESTERN UNION OFFICE
MASSAGE TODAY MR.EDWIN BRADLEY.
Phone Number +229-986777-51

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam