419 scam: "Mr. Paul Ketwa"<paul.ketwa@yahoo.es> Ref: Confidential Business Proposal. (18/09/2012)n

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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)
- "taxation fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united state 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)
- "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)
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "chambers" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
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.
- mr.pketwa@yahoo.es (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr. Paul Ketwa" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.pketwa@yahoo.es>
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:29:10 -0500
Subject: Ref: Confidential Business Proposal. (18/09/2012)n

From: Paul Ketwa

Private Bag X59 Pretoria, 0001

Trevenna Campus,

Meintjes and Schoeman Streets,

Sunnyside, PRETORIA

Republic of South Africa

E-Mail: mr.pketwa@yahoo.es

Good day dear Friend,

I know this mail will come to you as a surprise, please do not be sceptical as its for good purpose. Its after my official enquiry from the foreign trade office of the chambers of commerce & industry here in Johannesburg South Africa, that I decided to contact you without disclosing to anyone considering the confidentiality of this project. As I found your profile very interesting, I decided to contact you and to solicit for your assistance in transferring the sum of US$32,000,000.00(Thirty Two Million United State Dollars) to your bank account in your country within some few days. For your information, I am a senior Director of the Ministry of Mineral Resources Republic of South Africa; I am currently in need of you as foreign partner whose identity can be used to transfer this sum of money out of my country for overseas investment. This fund emanated from an over-invoiced contract payment which was awarded to a foreign contractor in the year 2009.

The fund is presently waiting to be remitted from the bank here in South Africa to any overseas beneficiary confirmed by me as associate/receiver because by virtue of my position as civil servant in my country, I cannot claim the fund in my name. This is because as highly placed civil servant, I am not allowed by the civil service code of conduct to own or operate bank accounts offshore hence my request to present you.

As soon as fund is confirmed in your account, the sharing ratio will be, 30% (US$9,600,000.00) to you as commission for your co-operation and assistance in facilitating the transfer, 1% for any taxation fee that might occur during the course of this transfer while the remaining 69% (US$22,080,000.00) will be for me and my colleague. Once the fund hit your account, you are allowed to withdraw your commission. As I plan to invest the fund overseas, I will appreciate your advice on viable investments.

I plead with you to keep this transaction very confidential even if you are not interested to handle it with me.

Regards,

Paul Ketwa

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam