419 scam: "Dr. Irvin Khoza" <info@woza.co.za> URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE

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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)
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
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.
- dr_irvin01@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr. Irvin Khoza" <info@woza.co.za>
Reply-To: dr_irvin01@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:38:17 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: URGENT AND CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE

From The Desk of Dr. Irvin Khoza,
L.O.C Chairman South African World Cup 2010
Johanesborg, South Africa.

Attn: Dear Friend,

Firstly, I sincerely apologize for breaking into your privacy; however I
have decided to contact you through this medium due to the urgency of this
proposed business transaction. I got your contact over the Internet during
my search for assistance in this mutual beneficial business transaction. I
must first solicit your strictest confidentiality in this transaction.
This is by virtue of its nature as being utterly
CONFIDENTIAL\ldblquoteTOPSECRET\rdblquote. Though I know that a
transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried,
considering the fact that we have not met each other before, but I am
assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day.

I am Dr Irvin Khoza, Local Organizing Committee Chairman, South African
World Cup 2010. I am making this contact with you based on the Committee's
need for an individual/company who is willing to assist us with a solution
to a money transfer.

This amount is $38.5m and represents the balance of the total contract
Value Executed on behalf of the Committee by a foreign contracting firm,
which we the officials over-invoiced deliberately, of which the actual sum
has been paid. Should you be willing to assist us in the transaction? Your
share of the sum will be 25% of the $38.5million, 70% for us and 5% for
taxation and miscellaneous expenses.

To enable us commence, I will need your personal telephone/fax number.
Kindly send your response to dr_irvin01@yahoo.com.hk

Regards,
Dr. Irvin

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam