Warning, Email Scam

[Databits]

Be warned, there is a new scam email going around that seems very authentic but isn't. A major red flag is the name Barrister Robert Peters and generally is something detailing you granting consent to allow him to present you as the next of kin to some random deceased person and their family.

This has scam written all over it, and I went straight to google for investigation. This name is linked to a ton of sites that point to similar email scams with the same name. The scams all are part of a Nigerian Money Laundering Scheme. So be warned if you recieve a similar email.

This is the email I recieved:

From The Desk of Bar. Robert Peters,
Great Roberts chambers Nigeria.
Plot 116/118 Dioba Port Harcourt
Rivers State.
Phone: 234-84-922-165

Dear Pearce,

This letter may come to you as a surprise, as we have not met before, but is with trust and believe that I write to you. I am Barrister Robert Peters, a Solicitor at Law. I am the personal attorney to Egr. William Pearce, a citizen of your country, who used to work with Chevron oil Company in Nigeria. On the 21st of April 2003, my client, his wife and their only daughter were involved in a car accident along sagamu express road Ondo State on way to Lagos From Port Harcourt. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives.

Since then I have made several inquiries to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in recovering the fund valued at US$9.5Million left behind by my client before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the international bank where this money were deposited.

The said bank has issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the account confiscated within the next twenty-one official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 2 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin to the deceased since you bear the same last name with him, so that the proceeds of this account could be paid to you.

Therefore, on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the modalities for the transfer of this fund into your account. I have all necessary information and legal document needed to back you up for the claim. All I require from you is your cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee you that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

I would be grateful if this mail will be favoured with an early reply.

Best regards,

Bar.Robert Peters.

[trekkie1701c]

One of those Nigerian bank scams... I get at least five a week through the spam filter.  I utilize the delete button in each case.

[Ashley_Rose]

Oh MY G-O-D.

I just had such a Red vs. Blue moment.

'Hello, I am Nigerian Royalty, and I need you to send me money. Please ignore the fact that I can't spell Nigerian... or Royalty."

(granted, you've got to pretend that I spelled it wrong, because I can't stand spelling things wrong, ask Xeph or Harm)

[Databits]

I went ahead and forwarded it to the FBI before I deleted it. I doubt they can do anything, but it's always nice to report em.

[Xepher]

...seems very authentic but isn't.... This has scam written all over it...

So, umm... Does it seem authentic to you, OR does it have scam written all over it?

And, as for "tip offs" the BIG one is that it mentions NIGERIA! These nigerian scams have been going around for long enough that I find it more useful to reference a rich friend in Nigeria than, say, ocean front propery in arizona, or a bridge for sale.


Heh, anyway, no offense Data, but if this is a "new scam" to you, I'd like to know what rock you've been living under. This scam, in one form or another, has been running since the early 80s. It's also known as the 419 scam.

Links, some useful, some funny

http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/ Detailed info

http://j-walk.com/other/conf/ Great parody.

http://www.419eater.com/ Baits and then tricks would-be scammers. Some hilarious "trophy shots," but the hall of shame is better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud The ubiquitus wikipedia article.

[Databits]

Sorry... this is the first time I have had any sort of email in this sort. Being that it just happened today, I assumed that it was rather recent. Forgive me for never running into this situation before.

[Ashley_Rose]

Hey, you rock if you've never had that. Yay for you!

[Databits]

Perhaps I don't seem like a viable target.

[DC Bueller]

I've actually started to receive fraudulent mail...like snail mail.  Someone spent the money and time to send me something, on the off chance that I wasn't paying attention and that I'd send them 18 or 20 bucks...wow.  Way to call the long shots...or not.

[MPSinclair]

Hey, that was me, DC. I'm still waiting for that $20...

[Xepher]

Hey Data... sorry if I sounded like I was insulting you or anything, that wasn't the intent. I'm just really surprised you hadn't seen or heard of this before.

[DC Bueller]

Ohhhhhh, wow...if you're the one sending me all these mailings, then you had to have spent AT LEAST 20 bucks on postage and mailing alone...I'll get ya that 20 as soon as I get rid of all my credit card debt (so hope you don't mind waiting another year or two...).