Do not trust fake "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment"?
After reading this "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" email, we determined that it is spam. It claims that the recipient did not receive their contract, inheritance, or prize payment – and to withdraw it, they must provide their details.
The information in this email is false and in no way associated with any genuine entities. This is a phishing campaign that targets personally identifiable data.
"Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" email scam overview
The spam email with the subject "PAYMENT" (may vary) is presented as a missive from South Africa's foreign payment committee office, specifically – the contract/inheritance payment resolution panel. The recipient is informed that their file has been reviewed, and the reason why they have not received their contract/inheritance/winning payment has been discovered.
The corruption of a bank director was the cause, and their financial fraud and creation of unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles have affected many victims in the first quarter of this year. The individual responsible has been fired, and the recipient can now proceed with their payment of 1,5 million USD, which can be carried out within 48 hours.
Supposedly, the transfer will be handled with a legitimate South African bank, as instructed by the Minister of Finance. The recipient will be sent an ATM card with their funds, which they will be able to use across the globe.
The letter instructs the recipient to contact the card payment center and provide them the reference code, which is included in the email. The recipient is also to send their personal information – a copy of an ID card or passport, full name, address, phone and fax numbers.
It must be emphasized that the claims made by this email are false. This mail is not associated with legitimate governmental bodies and offices of the Union of South Africa, the Nedbank Group, Enoch Godongwana – South Africa's Minister of Finance since August 2021, or any other public figures and entities.
The information targeted by the "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" spam campaign can be used for a variety of nefarious activities, including identity theft. It is pertinent to mention that scams of this kind often request victims to pay fake taxes or fees, thus tricking them into sending scammers money.
To summarize, victims of spam mail like "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" can experience severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.
If you have already disclosed your personally identifiable information or finance-related data – contact the appropriate authorities.
| Name | "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Issues regarding the recipient's 1,5 million USD payment have been resolved, and they must provide their information to receive it. |
| Disguise | South African governmental entity |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Phishing spam campaign examples
"Message Sent Using DocuSign Service", "Mailbox Service Notification", "New Salary Changes", "Webmail Validation Notice", "Email Address Included In The Blacklist", and "Truist - Disputed Transactions Posted To Your Account" are just some of our latest articles on phishing emails.
This mail primarily seeks personally identifiable data, log-in credentials (usernames/passwords), and finance-related information. Various scams are promoted through spam mail, and it is utilized in malware proliferation.
While these emails are often poorly written and riddled with mistakes, they can be competently put together and even convincingly disguised as mail from legitimate entities (e.g., companies, service providers, authorities, organizations, institutions, etc.).
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns distribute malware through infectious files that can be attached to or linked inside these emails/messages. These files come in various formats, e.g., archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.
Merely opening a virulent file can be enough to trigger malware download/installation. However, some formats require additional actions to jumpstart infection processes. For example, Microsoft Office files need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents require them to click on embedded files or links.
How to avoid installation of malware?
We strongly recommend approaching incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages with caution. Do not open attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail, as they can be harmful or infectious.
However, malware is proliferated using various methods. The Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content – hence, be careful when browsing.
Additionally, download only from official and verified sources. Activate and update programs using genuine functions/tools, as illegal activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updates can contain malware.
It is paramount for device integrity and user safety to have a reputable anti-virus installed and kept updated. Security software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove detected threats. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" spam email letter:
PO BOX 15, CAPE TOWN, 8000 PARLIAMENT STREET, CAPE TOWN
OFFICE OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN PAYMENT
(RESOLUTION PANEL ON CONTRACT/INHERITANCE PAYMENT)
PO BOX 15, CAPE TOWN, 8000 PARLIAMENT STREET, CAPE TOWN
Good day -,
This to inform you officially that we have verified your contract /inheritance/Winning file and found out why you have not received your payment is because you are still dealing with expelled/sacked Bank Directors in respect of your contract / inheritance payment due to you and with the deviance behavior of the fired bank director handling your transfer, particularly during the first quarter of this year, so many individuals like you were victims of scam, characterized by confusion and due to fraudulent and corrupt Bank officials making you to go through untold hardship and pain
Our aim is to critically assess established approaches to the subject at the same time as demonstrating ways in which you might receive payment due to you within 48hrs from today
Realistically we have integrated your payment through the Ned credit bank office, which is the latest instruction by MINISTER OF FINANCE Enoch Godongwana during the midterm budget speech
Enoch Godongwana indicated that the National Treasury - Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Would facilitate your payment within 48hrs from the time you send your details and you are entitled to (US$1,500,000.00)
The ATM center will send an ATM card that would be used to withdraw money in any ATM machine in any part of the world, please contact the card payment center and also send the following information:
1. Your full names
2. Phone and fax number
3. Address
4. A copy of your identity
Mr. MICHAEL MALAKASA
Director ATM Swift Card Center
EMAIL: m.malakasa@yandex.com, Q578698@bigmir.net
PHONE: +27-634910274
Note: Due to imposters, we request you present this reference code to the ATM Card officer BK/ATMSCXX0X5X9X3X21 when contacting him
Please make sure that your reply goes through any of the ATM Director email as stated above. We are sorry for PAIN you must have gone through.
On behalf of the Republic of South Africa
WHO WE ARE
Parliament plays a direct and active role in national affairs. It is the place where the members of Parliament look after your interests. Members of Parliament (MPs) have many responsibilities, including -
Appearance of the "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" spam email (GIF):
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Quick menu:
- What is "Contract/Inheritance/Winning Payment" phishing email?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did I receive this email?
Spam emails are not personal, even if they include details relevant to the recipients. Cyber criminals send this mail out by the thousand with the hopes that at least some recipients will fall for their scams.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and inform their official support. However, if you have disclosed other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport photos/scans, credit card numbers, etc.) – contact the appropriate authorities without delay.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, reading an email is harmless. Systems are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
If the opened file was an executable (.exe, .run, etc.) – most likely, yes – the device was infected. However, you might have avoided the infection if it was a document (.doc, .xls, .one, .pdf, etc.). These files may need additional user interaction (e.g., enabling macros, clicking embedded files/links, etc.) to start malware download/installation.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and eliminating practically all known malware infections. It must be stressed that performing a full system scan is paramount since sophisticated malicious programs typically hide deep within systems.
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