419 scam: Mr John Mercy Michael <onyeboy@yahoo.fr> Re: MONEY GRAM PAYMENT SUM OF US$850.000.00USD.

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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:
- "please endeavor to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "western union" (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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "tax clearance" (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. )
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "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.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- +229994758471 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Mr John Mercy Michael <onyeboy@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: mrshelenobalaku@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2011 15:39:04 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Re: MONEY GRAM PAYMENT SUM OF US$850.000.00USD.

MoneyGram
301 MG BUILDINGS PORT-BENIN.
SE8 5RA
REF: MG/LND/NG/7545
received this email in error, please notify us immediately.
Please do not disclose the contents to anyone or copy it to outside.

Dear Customer:

Notice: we
discovered that some internet hackers (Fraudsters)
are accessing our e-mail account and yours trying to
steal from both of us, so we have concluded to effect your payments through Money Gram Office.
They will be sending $10,000.usd to you daily until your $850.000.00 is
completely transferred to you accordingly. You can only pay to them $109 so as to enable
the purchasing of your inheritance file to prevent
illegal transfer of your funds or any form of
hindrance in receiving your funds.

We shall obtain the Tax clearance certificates and finalize the process of your daily
transfer and then authorize the appointed
Money Gram Office to effect your payments by tomorrow as soon as you send the
fee to them.

Please fill in the transfer form
attached to you and forward to them which will enable on the transfer.

Here is there contact address.

Agent in charge
Mrs
Helen O Jmaeslie
E-mail; moneytransfer@moneygrambenin.bj
Tell:   +229
99 47 58471
or
(229) 0258745852

You are to get back to us
immediately you have effect the payment and please endeavor to send us the
payment information via email.

File your form below.

Receiver.........................
Text
Question...................
Text
Answer.........................
Your
Address........................
Telephone Number..........

Kindly fill and send to us a copy
of the payment slip via email in this form below:
PAYMENT
SHOULD BE MADE TO OUR ACCOUNT OFFICER TO THE DETAILS BELOW:

PAYMENT DETAILS BELOW THROUGH
MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION.

Receiver
Name: Igbanugo L Ngosine,

Receiver
Address: CITY:// BENIN
REPUBLIC,COTONOU,

Sender Name:

Test Question&Answer:

Senders Address:

Mtcn (Control
Number):

Amount Sent:

Telephone
Number

Then after you have send the fee to this information, you should send the payment information's to them together
with the transfer form giving to you. Immediately
they purchase your payment files, you will start
receiving your payments daily as stated above.

Here are details of your first payment of $10.000 USD made on your behalf but it has no receiver's name yet until
you remit the $109 USD required to them before they
can purchase the inheritance files with your name and
put your name as the receiver.

Amount: $10,000 USD

Reffrence#: 5274-1453

Sender's First Name: ANNIE
Sender's Last Name:
JOHNSON

Note that within 48hrs if you do
not remit the required $109 USD the transfer will be
retrieve back and remember that the money details
given to you does not bear your name as the receiver yet until you make the payment of the $109 USD..If you don't
have the 109 Usd to send do not contact because they can not release the money
without the obtain the Tax clearance certificates.Sending the money before you
comply.

Thanks for your kind attention.

MY REGARDS
Mr John Mercy
Michael..
FORIGN OPERATION
MANAGER OFFICE BENIN

www.moneygram.com




Registered 2008
- 2009 Money Gram Money Transfer. All Right Reserved This email is intended for the named recipient only and may contain
privilage and confidential information. If you have received this email in
error, please notify us immediately. Please do not disclose the contents to
anyone or copy it to outside.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam