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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.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- 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.
- bantulukozi@mighty.co.za (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: lukozi@arcor.de
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2013 14:18:54 +0100 (CET)
Subject: Can we do business this together?
Greetings
The aim of this contact is to seek your cooperation in receiving an unclaimed over-invoice contract fund worth $12.5m presently in the suspense account of Work & Housing Ministry South Africa where I work as a top official.
The contract fund will be disbursed by the Central Bank South Africa and paid through selected centers across Europe,Asia,Africa and Canada respectively. Upon getting the payment approvals in your name from the Ministries of Work & Housing as well as the Ministry of Finance, the central bank will give you payment details and directives.
You must know that national contract funds are usually huge amounts and the government want to avoid long and expensive bureaucratic banking process that will amount to hindrances and delayed payments now, that the IMF has disbursed necessary funds to beef up infrastructure and economic development in the country.
Why I am offering you 40% of the $12.5m is essentially because I can not openly apply for this payment as an incumbent director in the Ministry, and that is why I must front a foreign partner as contractor in order to get the money paid. The payment application will be submitted to the contract review and appraisal office under the public tender board. Then the file will come to my office for ratification before final approval by MWH board. This bureaucratic process is estimated to be completed within 10 to 15days and you will get all the necessary payment approvals for your reference and records.
I will need copy of your Identity document to prepare the necessary papers to back up the payment application in your name. The application will present you as a sub contractor in areas of supply of building and construction equipment and i will get your South African business permits and tax clearance as supportive credentials in your payment application file as required for successful payment approval. The key to the success of the program is my involvement as a signatory in the approval process with a goodwill that will guarantee necessary cooperation in the relevant offices.
Do send me a scanned copy of your Identity Document and feel free to reach me on my email: bantulukozi@mighty.co.za to avoid the risk of persons meddling with my official telephone numbers which stand to jeopardize my proposition to you and which may not be okay for me as a top government public office holder.I will furnish you with a secure telephone details later.
I will be obliged to clarify any issues for your consideration in making quick and salient decision over this proposal. Include your telephone number for me in your next response.
Regards,
Bantu Lukozi
bantulukozi@mighty.co.za
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Anti-fraud resources:
