419 scam: Malusi Gigaba <armeria@transito.go.cr> FROM THE DESK OF MALUSI GIGABA, SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCE MINISTER.

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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:
- ",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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.

Fraud email example:

From: Malusi Gigaba <armeria@transito.go.cr>
Reply-To: Malusi Gigaba <gigabam@minister.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2017 08:56:03 -0600 (CST)
Subject: FROM THE DESK OF MALUSI GIGABA, SOUTH AFRICAN FINANCE MINISTER.

Attention:

As the new minister of finance of South Africa, while going through the files on my table on assuming office, I came across a payment file on my desk containing information about a fund in your favor which my predecessor, Pravin Gordhan did not pay out to you.

The information in the payment file indicates that the fund which belongs to you was sent from Reserve bank after a prolonged attempt by the bank to reach you and effect payment to you was unsuccessful.

The fund is R126,000,000.00. Do you know about the fund?

You are therefore, required to confirm the following for immediate processing of the release/transfer of your fund to you.

1, NAME AND CURRENT ADDRESS.
2, AGE AND OCCUPATION.
3, TELEPHONE NUMBER.
4, PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS(IF ANY).

Yours Faithfully.

Malusi Gigaba
Minister of Finance,
Republic of South Africa.
Fax: 086 265 0311.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam