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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:

Fraud email example:

From: Sarah Apostol <saraha1postol@gmail.com>
Reply-To: sarahapostol@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:10:14 +0000
Subject: From Mrs. Sarah Apostol


*From Mrs. Sarah Apostol I want to have partnership with you. My name is
MRS. SARAH APOSTOL from ANGOLA a Wife of RUSSIA business man (LATE MR.
PAVEL APOSTOL ). Before the death of my husband he was a real-estate Broker
and coffee merchant.I want to be honest and sincere to you, I got your
email while i was making a research to find a reliable partner for this
project. I know it's difficult to trust someone on the internet this time
because of the bad and dubious activities of scammers going all around the
world today. My dream is to go to a country where my late husband's
relatives will not see me, so that I will use this money to start new life,
free life with a man that will give me happiness and joy. I want to be free
because I have suffered so much in the hands of my wicked brothers’ in-law,
since after my husband's funeral.For your better understanding, my husband
was poisoned to death by some of his colleagues on a business outing. Since
after his death, I have no peace of mind because of the pressure from his
family relatives (brothers in particular) as they're seriously on my neck
with conspiracy with the family lawyer to release to them my late husband’s
properties. The family problem according to them is because I didn't have
child for their late brother. Because of my relationship with my husband,
he told me before his death about this money (13.500.000 USD) in Cote
D'Ivoire for the purpose mainly to extend his coffee company branches in
Cote D'Ivoire before his death. None of his family relatives is aware of
this deposit and they will never know about it because they are very
selfish and wicked.Because my late husband’s family relatives started
taking all his properties from me, one of my close family friend advised me
that since I have the information of the money my late husband deposited in
Cote D'Ivoire and his brothers don’t know about it, then I should look for
good company outside of our country (Russia) where there are good business
opportunities that will be honest to help me out so that I can make a
better life with this money abroad instead of making problems with the
family relatives because they can kill me. So this is why I left Russia to
Cote D'Ivoire in a discrete manner because I will not go back to Russia
again after the transfer of the fund to your own company’s bank account and
I meet you in your country for our joint venture.I am therefore seeking
your assistance to help me transfer this money to your country or any other
country of your choice where you deem comfortable for us to investment with
good security. Once the fund arrives to your account, you will keep 20
percent of the total sum as your own for your help and I will keep 10
percent on me for my personal usage. Then the remaining of 70 percent will
be used for our joint venture which shall be fully under your control for
more profit making. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THIS PLAN?Let me ask you,
Can you help me to get residence permit in your country? Can I be a partner
to your company with this fund? Can you lead to us making a lifelong joint
business investment? I need answers to these questions, please.Thank you so
much for your time taken to go through my email and have it mind that
everything I explained to you in this email is true and not just ordinary
story. Also, this transaction is 100% risk free and the fund is genuine and
clean, not government fund, stolen money, drug money or money laundry. This
is for your kind information and security guaranty.As soon as I have your
answer to this email confirming our joint partnership, I will give you the
name and contact information of the bank where the money is, so that you
can communicate directly with the bank officers in charge for the quick
transfer to your own bank account, to enable us our uniting in your country
the soonest for our joint venture establishment. With all sincerity, I want
you to know that my intention of contacting you is GOOD not bad. So my
dear, I want you to be relaxed to help me out as soon as possible with the
understanding that this project is for the good benefits of us both.Kindly
extend my warmth greetings to all the members of your family and hope to
meet you face to face soon after you have received this fund in your
account.Yours sincerely,Mrs. Sarah Aposto*

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