419 scam: "MoneyGram" <officefille82@yahoo.com> RE: GOOD NEWS...from MoneyGram.

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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:
- "activation fee" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "moneygram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- +22996040039 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MoneyGram" <officefille82@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: moneygramm@9.cn
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:03:31 -0400
Subject: RE: GOOD NEWS...from MoneyGram.

SPT SOTOUBOUA QUARTER PREFECTURE,
BENIN REPUBLIC, 02 BP 2525 COTONOU.
TEL: +229 96040039
MoneyGram International.

Dear: Customer,

Information reaching us from our corporate head quarters here in Cotonou,
Benin Republic, states that you only have 48 hours to effect your payment
for the updating of your REFERENCE# to enable you cash up your first
$7,500 from your total fund of ($850,000.00) (Eight hundred and fifty
thousand united states dollars) since you are finding it difficult to make
this payment $415 we have decided that you are to go ahead and pay
whatever you have out of the total fee of $415 required by “Editorial
Foreign Operations Dept” (EFOD). But mind you no amount below $50 will be
accepted so we expect you to pay whatever amount from $50 and above to
activate your REFERENCE# immediately.

In addition to this, we have decided to compensate our entire client due
to their inability to pay the requested fee from the authorities, the
compensation started this morning been 30th of June, 2011 and it will end
on 4th July, 2011. All cost requested from the authorities has been cut
down to any amount as you can afford and that is only money you have to
pay to receive your payment because the transferring of your funds were
approved and signed.

For your informed you will have to pay the balance fee of your updating
upon cashing up of your first $7,500 and also I am using this medium to
inform you that failure to pay the balance charge will lead us with no
option but to deactivate your REFERENCE# of which you will never cash up
the balance fee, I want you to send the updating and activation fee with
the information below

Receiver's Name: ==== Okeke Augustine
Country: =========Benin Republic
City: ========Cotonou
Text Question: ====Transfer Code?
Answer: ====001
AMOUNT SENT:

Please, any amounts you send let us know but remember what so ever amount
below $50 will not be accepted. You can send us the payment information
immediately you send the money. As soon as we confirm the activation fee
we will send your first payment $7,500 at the same time.

Meanwhile, you are advised to forward the below information immediately
you receive this mail.

Your full name:....
Home address:.......
Your country:.....
Mobil phone number:......
Office number:.......
Home number:.....
Age:........
Sex:.......
Occupation:.......

You are entitled to receive your payment today if you do send the money
today as we are waiting to hear from you today with the fee to enable this
department to release your payment immediately.

I anticipate your urgent respond and call me on Tel: +229 96040039 if you
have any question regarding this.

Best Regards,

Mr. Tony Brown
The new officer
Tel: +229 96040039
MoneyGram International.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam