419 scam: "Mr.Phil Coker" <banqueatlan80@gmail.com> Dear Friend, Confidential Proposal

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand 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 next of kin scam.
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.
- mrphilcokerr.88@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Phil Coker" <banqueatlan80@gmail.com>
Reply-To: mrphilcoker8@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2023 14:11:26 +0100
Subject: Dear Friend, Confidential Proposal

Dear Friend, Confidential Proposal

I am Mr.Phil Coker, the Auditor General, Smith & Williamson Holdings
Limited, United Kingdom. In the course of my auditing, I discovered a
floating fund in an account, which was opened in 1990 belonging to a dead
foreigner who died in 1999. I have been able to contact the Late account
holder's attorney; but every effort made to track any member of his family
or next of kin has since failed hence I got in contact with you to stand as
his next of kin since you bear the same last name. He died leaving no heir
or a will. Since his attorney is aware,you will contact his attorney since
he has all the legal documents backing the fund.

My intention is to transfer this sum of Five Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars only, in the aforementioned account to a safe account
overseas.You will apply to the bank as an extended relative to the deceased
customer while I work from the inside to ensure all needed information and
evidence is provided to you to back up your claim. The account has an open
beneficiary status, which is why I have contacted you to come forth and
claim the funds as the next of kin and beneficiary. Since he is from your
country, it is easy for you to become his official next of kin. If we do
not claim the funds now, the funds would be reverted to the system as the
unclaimed estate at the expiration of a 10-year dormancy period.

I assure you that this transaction will be handled under due inheritance
procedures, and every necessary legitimate arrangement will be put in place
to make you the real beneficiary of the inheritance funds. It also requires
all confidentiality at this stage, and I believe you are ready to keep this
discreet until you can claim the funds from the bank. Once the funds are
released to you, they will be shared between the two of us.

Please send your response indicating readiness to proceed with this
transaction. Then I will give you more details, and we shall have an
in-depth discussion regarding the successful completion of this transaction.

I await your response.

Sincerely,

Mr.Phil Coker
mrphilcokerr.88@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam