419 scam: "Mr.Benson Binder" <"WWWWW."@shore.ocn.ne.jp> ATTENTION Dear Customer.

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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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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)
- "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)
- "hundred thousand 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)
- "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.
- +22999615697 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Benson Binder" <"WWWWW."@shore.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "Mr.Benson Binder" <moneygramoffice21@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2017 19:26:44 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION Dear Customer.

ATTENTION Dear Customer.
From Money Gram Office

we sent you mail on Friday, March 10th 2017 and no respond so now we do apologize for our late response. Secondly, I am Mr.Benson Binder the Managing Director Money Gram Transfer office Benin Republic.The transfer of your funds has commenced today with your first payment of $5000.00 already sent as ordered by the Federal Ministry for Finance. What is required from you is $79 for activation fee of your Money Gram Transfer code of all your transfers and this payment must be made to this office before the transfer information will be released for you to pick up your first payment.

Please you are advised to move to the Money Gram Transfer and effect payment for the activation fee of your MTCN immediately and start receiving your funds without delay. For security reasons, you are advised not to expose this or the total amount of money you are receiving to people as you are only advised to move to any Money Gram Transfer in your area and make the needed payment or you can also send it through Western/Union or Ria Transfer to the information provided below and you shall receive the transfer information to pick your first payment within 3 hours today.

We shall be provided with necessary documents covering your funds with your transfer information as soon as your activation fee is confirmed paid over here as we are not allowed to release vital documents without receiving your fee and commencing the transfer. The $79 activation fee covers all the transfer of your full funds and you shall start receiving your funds from this office as soon as the payment is confirmed from you today.

The Federal Ministry of Finance also mandated that on no account shall any form of money be deducted from your total funds as it has to be receive in exact amount as it is recorded to avoid mistakes so you will be receiving $5000.00 usd daily until it completes the total amount of Two Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars ($4.5 Million) as we have in our file here In addition, this is to let you know that $5000.000 has been sent already as your first payment and the transfer information is kept on hold by this office and shall be released as soon as we hear from you.

Please i will like you to give me a call +22999615697 as soon as you send the $79.00 to avoid delays on this transaction as we have no excess time and as you know that your funds has lasted for a very long time than given, to avoid transferring your funds into government account due to failure to comply.Hope you understand my point? So your urgent response is highly needed You are to send the fee with INFORMATION BELLOW.

Receiver Name___BRIGHT IBE
Country___Benin Republic
City___Cotonou
Question___God
Answer___Bless
Amount___$79
REFRENCE Number
Sender's Name

I swear If I fail to release your payment after you send the $79.00 as I promise don't count on me again, I cannot fail you, I promise you, don$B!G(Bt fear as soon as you send the $79. today please leave the rest to me and see if I am lie to you because I can not use my life swear because of $79. how can I swear against my life because of this small amount? it is to show you that I am telling you the truth. Note the Total fund is $4.5 Million United State Dollars.

REGARDS
Mr.Benson Binder
MONEY GRAM OFFICE

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam