419 scam: "MR. William Douglas" <"www."@galaxy.ocn.ne.jp> ATTENTION DEAR CUSTOMER/ GOOD DAY I AM MR. William Douglas

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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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "you are required to pay " (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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
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.

Fraud email example:

From: "MR. William Douglas" <"www."@galaxy.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "MR. William Douglas" <moneygramoffice620@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2017 02:43:56 +0900 (JST)
Subject: ATTENTION DEAR CUSTOMER/ GOOD DAY I AM MR. William Douglas

FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER MONEY GRAM
INT'L. OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
LOCATION. RUE BPH141 KINGSTON
AVENUE COTONOU BENIN .
TEL:+1(6782101850
REF: MT89TQ

ATTENTION DEAR CUSTOMER/ GOOD DAY I AM MR. William Douglas

THE MONEY GRAM DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR BENIN REPUBLIC COTONOU.WE WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF YOUR EMAIL IN THIS MONEY GRAM OFFICE AND THE CONTENT IS WELL NOTED, PLEASE FRIEND YOU ARE ADVICE TO GO THROUGH THIS EMAIL CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS NOTE AND UNDERSTAND IT BEFORE YOU COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS OK.

WE WAS INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOUR FUND TO YOUR ADDRESS IN YOUR CITY MONEY GRAM OFFICE FROM HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC OFFICE MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER AND YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR FUND ( $4,800.00 U.S.D ) PER DAY UNTIL YOU RECEIVE ALL YOUR TOTAL PAYMENT WHICH IS THE SUM OF ($980,000.00 USD)Nine Hundred and Eighty
Thousand united state dollars AS SCHEDULED IN OUR OFFICE HERE.

However you should know that In money gram transaction when an amount of fund in transition is more than $4,800.00 usd dollars, the document file will be renewed before the transfer will commence because money gram do not send more than $4.800 per day but this order is from ministry of finance and in all the money grams of the World Bank, IMF/UNO.

I want you to know that this is a legitimate transfer and that is why we need to renew the payment file at this money gram and get what we want so that you will be receiving your money without any delay or problem .The cost of the Re-activation of your File which was deposited at this Money Gram With your Name is$ 45usd Only.

So i want you to know that there is nothing like any deceiving in this transfer of your fund and be informing that the amount which you will be receiving each day is $4,800.00 once you send the $ 45usd for the Re-activation of your file today.

Be rest assure that as soon you send the $ 45usd .00 we must start transferring your fund to you through this Money Gram Department without any further delay and this is the only fee you have to pay in this transaction as it was written down already by the Federal government of this country that mapped out the compensation for you .

Note: the reason why we need you to send us the $45usd .00 us only is that we tried to deduct the transfer change of your funds out from your fund but the minister administrator trust fund of Benin republic told us that no one has access over your fund as it have been signed and stamped that no money should be did ducted until it gets to you, to avoid any misunderstanding because if any one has access to that it will involve you loosing your fund, no one has to be trust .

Meanwhile we are writing to let you know that $4,800.00 has been sent to you but the $4,800.00 is under the system of on hold. For the reason that you are required to pay for the transfer charge of the $4,800.00 usd which is $ 45usd .00 as we told. Being a director general i have used my influence to send your first payment of $4,800.00usd but it placed on hold due to the transfer charge has not been paid.

Your first-payment of $4,800,00 will be made this morning so you are required as a matter of urgency to send the Re-activation fee of $ 45usd .00 immediately you receive this email now because your payment file needs to be re-activated before we can be able to start the transfer of your fund to you ,

so that the $4,800.00usd being sent to you will be available in any parts of MONEY GRAM Office you go in your Country today and you pick it up immediately today without and delay or problem.
Because is not possible to us to release the first-payment for you without you send us the fees for the Renewal,

INFORMATION OF THE FIRST MONEY GRAM MADE WITH YOUR NAME WHICH WILL BE RELEASED AS SOON AS WE HAVE RECEIVED THE SUM OF $45usd .00 ONLY IN TIME TODAY FOR THE COST BILL OF YOUR TRANSFER.
Reconfirm your information to assist us post your funds to right location,

Meanwhile, we are assuring you that there is going to be no fee in future again and if there is we will bear the cost of the fee. So you have to take mSe by my words. This is the information you will use to send the $ 45usd .00 for this department to release your fund today. You will send the fee through MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION with this information$B!G(Bs bellow.

Receiver Name____George Ike
Country____________Benin Republic
City________________Cotonou
Text Question_______Honst?
Answer_____________Trust.
Sender Name_______
Amount Expected____$ 45usd .Only
MTCN ______________

Payment should be sent with the below information today as you said ,and make the payment through Money Gram Transfer use our bank cashier name in sending the money to us through money Gram transfer,
May the Lord Our God give you the foresight and for knowledge to understand that this, the Peace of God be with you.

Meanwhile, we are waiting you to call me with my phone number now /+1(9203150011 immediately you receive this email today Thanks

YOURS IN SERVICE
MR. William Douglas
FAX +1(6782101850
MINISTRY FEDERAL REPUBLIC
FINANCIAL BANK REPUBLIC OF BENIN
WWW.MONEY GRAM.COM

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam