419 scam: "MAXWELL PETER." <peter.maxwell119@gmail.com> IS URGENT FROM Mr.MAXWELL PETER A Taxi Driver

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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:

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. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "million united states 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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.

Fraud email example:

From: "MAXWELL PETER." <peter.maxwell119@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 May 2012 21:49:07 +0300
Subject: IS URGENT FROM Mr.MAXWELL PETER A Taxi Driver

GOOD DAY:,

I am Mr.MAXWELL PETER from Accra-Ghana west Africa and i am a taxi driver.
I drive along Ghana-Togo boarder known as the aflao boarder.

On may 15th i was driving to togo when i drove into an accident scene where all passenger died at the spot and i recover a consignment box from the accident scene tag with your name,contact and email address and a document showing that the person was going to Togo to send the total sum of money (Five Million United states Dollars) to you via western union money transfer,so i took the box to scanning machine to verify if really money is inside the box, after the scan i find out that money is inside the box, i have the scan copy with me in the hotel room right now.

Right now the box is with me in a hotel for it to be safe and i can not take what does not belongs to me because, i am a Jehovah witnesses person who believe in God and cannot take what does not belong to me that is why i have deiced to mail you so that i can know what to do to transfer this money to you my self via western union money transfer or by bank to bank transfer which ever way you want it to be.

right now i am still doing my normal Driving work, but i deposited your consignment box in hotel the crown, with the hotel magazine manager, for security reason

Please reply as soon as possible so that i can make all necessary arrangement to claim the box from the hotel magazine manager,and have access to the total sum of money (Five Million United states Dollars) fund, and make the transfer of this money to you there in your country, or if you have any one you trust you can ask him or her to come and claim the fund from the hotel before i will call Ghana government to come for it.

Regards,
MAXWELL PETER.
+233 241 506 167

Anti-fraud resources:

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