419 scam: "THERESA WILLIAMS"<theres1010@gmail.com> PLEASE READ AND GET BACK TO ME URGENTLY.

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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)
- "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal trying to scam you - arrests of online criminals are rare)
- "i got your address from " (this SPAM email was probably sent to thousands of people)
- "robert mugabe" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a orphan scam.
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +27710882043 (South Africa, prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- twilliamsfamily2014@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "THERESA WILLIAMS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <twilliamsfamily2014@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 15:03:14 -0700
Subject: PLEASE READ AND GET BACK TO ME URGENTLY.

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

FROM MRS. THERESA WILLIAMS /INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

Attention: Sir/Madam.

You may be surprised to receive this strange letter from me. I am Mrs. Theresa Williams; the wife of Mr. Marcus Williams of Zimbabwe. I got your address from the world web yellow address page. After due consideration from your profile, I became aware and assured of your credibility to help me.

My husband was among the rich farmers in Zimbabwe who were murdered in cold blood by the agent of the ruling government of President Robert Mugabe because my husband was against the method adopted by the government on new land reform act that wholly affected the farmers in Zimbabwe. Before the Invasion, my
husband took me to South Africa as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe and deposited USD$30Million(Thirty Million United States Dollars) with a security and finance company in South Africa as a Family Valuables.

This money was for buying farm lands in Lesotho, Swaziland, and also machinery for the farm. Heads of government from western world, especially Britain and The U.S.A, have voiced their condemnation against Mugabe's new land reform act.

It is against this background that my only son John Williams has mandated me to seek foreign assistance as my late Husband indicated that the consignment is for onward shipment to his foreign partner for investment purposes.

Presently, I am residing in South Africa as a refugee. It is clearly indicated on deposit certificate that the consignment is meant for onward shipment to my late husband foreign partner which I want to present you to the security company. Kindly send me the below information.*your private phone number.

Please note that there is no risk involved in this business, and for your effort, I am prepared to offer you 30% of the total sum when the money is retrieved from the security and finance company and transferred to your bank account in your country.

If this proposal is accepted by you, get in touch with my only son Mr. John Williams by phone on +27710882043 so that he will furnish you with more details and also do kindly send your private mobile number for easy communication. Email address: twilliamsfamily2014@gmail.com

I will appreciate if you maintain the confidentiality of this matter because of the happenings in my country. You are further advice to click the below website and read the current crisis in my country.
Kindly send me your direct mobile number and also your private email address in your reply to me once you accept to assist my family.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/918781.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/715001.stm

Yours sincerely
MRS.THERESA WILLIAMS

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam