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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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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:
- "the consignment" (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)
- "consignment " (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)
- "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)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- 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.
- jwmalinga@executivemail.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: James Williams Malinga <737470046@web.co.za>
Reply-To: <jwmalinga@qq.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2014 21:50:25 -0800
Subject: RE: IMPORTANT DELIVERY
James Williams Malinga
No 120 Church Street
Pretoria Central
South Africa.
Email: jwmalinga@executivemail.co.za
RE: IMPORTANT DELIVERY
My name is James Williams Malinga, attorney to the eldest grandson and Heir apparent to the late international icon Mr Nelson Mandela who passed away on December 05, 2013.
I was mandated by my principal, Mr Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela to contact you based on the limited information we have on you to become a custodian of a consignment containing the sum of USD10.0 ten Million United states Dollars. As the eldest surviving son, the late icon had privately held this Consignment for the grandson with instruction that the grandson could only have access to it after his demise. This is a typical African tradition where the eldest surviving male child or grandchild automatically assumes the leadership role after the death of the patriarch.
We are contacting you to assist us in taking delivery of this Consignment which would be sent to you through diplomatic intervention (means). The money is no longer safe in South Africa as a result of serious family feud which erupted after the funeral of the late icon. The feud has degenerated into a very a difficult situation and Mandela's daughters are bent on seizing and confisticating any and everything that has their father's name on it.
You can Google search this ugly situation to confirm our exact predicament. Mr Mandla Mandela and myself would instruct you on what to do as soon as the Consignment is handed over to you on strict confidentiality and trust.
On indication of interest to assist us do this, further information on the money and your reward/compensation would be divulged.
You can contact me directly on my email: jwmalinga@executivemail.co.za for further information.
Sincere Regards
Mr James W Malinga
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