419 scam: Peter Cotey <petercot55@gmail.com> Hello,

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "foreign remittance manager" (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)
- "your urgent reply" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "urgent assistance" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- "utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "observe utmost confidentiality" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Peter Cotey <petercot55@gmail.com>
Reply-To: cotey_peter22@yahoo.fr
Date: Tue, 12 May 2015 15:39:39 +0100
Subject: Hello,

Hello,

I Know This Message Will Come to You as a Surprise.Please do welcome the
letter and help me out as you finish reading.I am Mr Peter Cotey
Secretary to the Foreign Remittance Manager with one of the prime banks
here in Cote dâ€™Ivoire, West Africa,

I Need Your Urgent Assistance In Transferring The Sum Of â‚¬ 8.2 million
(Eight Million Two Hundred Thousand European Euros), To Your Account. This
Money Has Been Dormant For Years In Our Bank Without Claim. As you have the
same last name with him. I Want The Bank To Release The Money To You As The
Nearest Person To Our Deceased Customer.

Upon Your Reply. I Will give you details on how the business Will be
executed,and Please observe utmost confidentiality, and be rest assured
that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I
shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country. In your
return mail, please do forward your information as listed below if you are
willing to complete this deal with me, to enable me put the total fund in
your name

Your full name:
Your contact address:
Occupation;
Your phone number:
Date of Birth:

I wait for your urgent reply with the above info of yours.

Best Regards,

Mr Peter Cotey

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam