419 scam: "MONEY GRAM®"<admin@ferremundo.com.ec> MID YEAR PROMOTION!

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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. )
- "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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- +2348089785638 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "MONEY GRAM®" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <moneygrampaydesk@yeah.net>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2017 13:20:05 -0700
Subject: MID YEAR PROMOTION!

OFFICE OF THE MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD
OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU. 96846005

MONEY GRAM INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFER SERVICE OFFICE / 2017 MID YEAR AWARD.

WE BRING TO YOUR KIND NOTICE!

Information reaching us from our corporate headquarters here in porto-novo, the capital state of Benin republic, states that you only have 72hours to effect your payment for the activation of your reference number to enable you cash up your first $2,500.00. From your total fund of ( seven hundred thousand united state dollars) since you are finding it difficult to make this payment we have decided that you are to go ahead and pay whatever you have out of the the total fee of $400 for the activation fee since you are not able to come up with the required charge, time is of the essence here.you are to pay what ever you have from $50 upward for the activation fee and we will activate your reference number upon receipt of this payment.

Be informed that you will have to pay the balance fee of your activation upon cashing up of your first $2,500. 00 also i am using this medium to inform you that failure to pay the balance charge will leave us with no option but to deactivate your reference number of which you will and can never cash up the balance fee, i want you to send the renewing and transfer fee with the information bellow.

Please any amount you send out of the initial $400 let us know and you can send us the reference number immediately you send the money and immediately we confirm the transfer fee we will send you the first receipt of your $2,500.00. At the same day.

1. Receiver name:............. CHINWE UBA
2.country:............. Benin republic
3. City :............... Porto novo .
4. Test question:....honest
5.test answer:......trust.
6.reference number..........

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 21st of June and it will end on 24th of June 2017 by reducing the high cost to low amount of any amount you have from $50 upward.

As the matter of fact, the transferring fee and 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 fund were approved and signed as well and we do contacted you today for your immediate attention over it.

Note that anything that has the beginning is also has the end in that case, first come first serve.

You are entitle to receive your payment today if you do send the money today as well.

we are waiting to hear from you today with the fee to enable this department to release your payment immediately.Look forward for your anticipated response.

Congratulations in advance.
MR, MARK EZE
FOREIGN REMITTANCE/ VERIFICATION
DEPARTMENT MONEYGRAM
CALL US AT +2348089785638
Manager/Head of Dept
Cotonou Zone

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam