419 scam: "Joseph Mwenti"<lgrusso@ism.com.br> Dear friend From Joseph Mwenti.

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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:

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)
- "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "joseph.mwenti@gmx.co.uk" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "Joseph Mwenti" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <josephmwenti@yahoo.co.nz>
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 09:12:19 -0700
Subject: Dear friend From Joseph Mwenti.

Dear friend

My name is Joseph Mwenti, I work with one of the leading Banks here in South Africa. I would need
your consent to present you as the next of kin to our late customer who died in ghostly Motor accident in 2009.
He was a wealthy business man who deposited the sum of $18,500,000 (Eighteen Million Five hundred
thousand United States Dollas) in our Bank. He died without any registered next of kin as he had no child.
I was his account officer and have in my possession all the documents required to present you as his beneficiary next of kin. We can work together to claim this fund. Please listen, this is real, so let us utilize this opportunity because it does not come always. A lot of customers open private accounts with different Banks without the knowledge of family members and when they die, such money will be lost to the Bank unless someone comes to claim it.

On your confirmation of this message and indicating your interest, I will furnish you with more details.
Please endeavor to provide me with the following so that we can discuss in details.

1) Mobile phone numbers
2) Full name
3) Contact address, Age and occupation

Kindly reply to my alternative email: joseph.mwenti@gmx.co.uk

I urgently hope to get your response as soon as possible.

Joseph Mwenti.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam