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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.
- 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:
- "will come to you as a surprise" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "million united state 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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- 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.
- desmondammoh@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Desmond Ammoh" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <desmondammoh@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 08:14:19 -0600
Subject: Hello
Compliment of the day to you and the rest member of your family, I am Desmond Ammoh.
I know this message will come to you as a surprise but i want you to give the privilege of explaining the details of this email to you.
I got your contact information from a friend of my parents on his way to France and he told me to contact you
regards the inheritance that my late father has left over for me in a reputable bank in UK.
My late father was a businessman and also a contractor. He deals mainly on gold and other mineral resources.
Before his death, he left the sum of $14.5 Million United State Dollars and 50kg of Gold for me as his only son in his safe deposit box
with a reputable bank in the UK. The reason am contacting you is to stand for me as my only surviving siblings because there is no one left to help me claim the properties.
I intent to relocate to the states but since i do not have any one to help me i cannot right now but God willing
i hope that you will help me claim the funds and the gold from the security company and i will share with you equally on the sale capital value.
I will explain the details on how to proceed to you once i hear back from you.
Please feel free to write me on my direct email address below. ( desmondammoh@gmail.com )
I await your email please.
Thanks Desmond
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