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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:
- 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)
- "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 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.
- lindamakalima@workmail.co.za (Workmail, South Africa; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- information through my private email address below (lindamakalima@workmail.co.za) or (tmarwala01@executivemail.co.za) *opportunity (Workmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
Fraud email example:
From: Mrs Makalima <azly654r@gmail.com>
Reply-To: rosejames327@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 22 May 2022 10:05:11 +0200
Subject: Urgent Reply
*Dear Friend, Good day ,*
I hope this mail meets you well. I duly apologize if I am interfering with
your privacy if this request is not acceptable to you. Before I go further
I will like to introduce myself to you for a better understanding. I am
Mrs. Linda Makalima, Group Directors' Affairs Committee and Group Risk and
Capital Management Committee Net-bank.
I am contacting you because you share the same last name with a client who
died of Covid-19 with his wife and his two sons in March (2020).
Considering the Fact that you share the same surname as my client
I want to present you as the next of Kin / beneficiary. As of today my
client's cash investment with the Bank Stands at (Forty Million United
States Dollars)
Thank you and looking forward to your positive response, have a great Day.
Get back to me for more information through my private email address below
(lindamakalima@workmail.co.za) or (tmarwala01@executivemail.co.za)
*Opportunity comes but once*
* Best Regards. Mrs Linda Makalima and Mr Tshilidzi Marwala.*
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Anti-fraud resources:
