419 scam: MARIA KHUMALO <mkhumal@gmail.com> PLEASE READ MY LETTER.

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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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)
- ",000,000" (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)
- ",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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "is 100% risk free" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "i got your address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "robert mugabe" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +27788535264 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- mkhumal@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: MARIA KHUMALO <mkhumal@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2010 09:16:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: PLEASE READ MY LETTER.

FROM: MRS. MARIA KHUMALO
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA
TEL: +27 78 853 5264 E.mail: mkhumal@gmail.com

Good day, My name is Mrs. Maria Khumalo, the wife of Mr. Christopher Khumalo of Zimbabwe. This might be a surprise to you about where I got your contact address. I got your address from the South African Chamber of Commerce here in Johannesburg, South Africa.
During the current war against the farmers in my country Zimbabwe from the supports of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white-owned farms to his party members and his followers, he ordered all white farmers to surrender all their farms to his party members and his followers.

My Husband is one of the best farmers in our country and because he did not support Mugabe's ideas, Mugabe's supporters invaded my husband's farm and burnt everything in the farm, Killed my husband and made away with a lot of items in my father's farm.
Before the death of my husband, he had deposited with one of the Security Company in Johannesburg, South Africa the sum of US$18,000,000.00 (Eighteen Million United States Dollars), with my name. Then after the death of my husband, we decided to move to the Republic of South Africa where he had deposited the money in the Security Company as valuables.

So, I decided to contact you to assist me to move this money out of South Africa because as Asylum Seekers (REFUGEE) we are not allowed to operate any Bank Account or to do Investment within the Republic South Africa.

We have agreed to give you 25 %( 4,500,000.00) of the total money for your assistance, 5 %( 900,000.00) will be mapped out for any expenses that may be incurred in the course of this transaction and 70 %( 12,600,000.00) will be for me and my family investment in your country.

So please if you are interested to help me move this money out of South Africa, you required to Come Down here in Johannesburg South Africa for us to meet and know each other more better and discuss on how to transfer all the total money into your bank account in your country for the investment purpose.

Finally, all I want you to do is to furnish me with your Private Mobile Phone and Fax Number for easy communication in this transaction. Also please try to contact me on the above Telephone and Fax Numbers immediately you receive this letter for more information in this transaction, and note that this transaction is 100% Risk Free and absolutely confidential

Thanks and may the Almighty God bless you and your family.

Best Regards,
MRS. MARIA KHUMALO

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam