419 scam: "Mrs.Destiny Asah" <destin.asah@gmail.com> Re: MINISTRY OF FINANCIAL MONEY GRAM INT'L. BANK REPUBLIC OF BENIN

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
- "you are advice to " (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.
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.
- +22999854382 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- moneygram_77@cooltoad.com (Cooltoad; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- are haven problem to send an email to you through our moneygram_77@cooltoad.com as been bonce back to us, so do respond to ( (Cooltoad; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Destiny Asah" <destin.asah@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:48:49 +0800
Subject: Re: MINISTRY OF FINANCIAL MONEY GRAM INT'L. BANK REPUBLIC OF BENIN

FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER MONEY GRAM INT'L.
OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
LOCATION. PLOT 1261, ADEOLA HOPEWELL STREET, COTONOU BENIN.
TEL:+229-998-543-82: FAX: (+229) 93143178
REF: MT89TQ
DATE:13 /01 /2012:

ATTENTION CUSTOMER,

Good Day to you; I am Mr. Godwin M. Johnson ; the Director of Money
Gram Department Benin Republic Cotonou. We receive the email without
any of your info you sent to us regard your funds payment this morning
being 10th January 2012, 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. Do reply through this email
address because we are haven problem to send an email to you through
our moneygram_77@cooltoad.com as been bonce back to us, so do respond
to ( moneygram_77@hotmail.fr )

We are instructed by Federal Government Of Benin Republic Cotonou to
transfer your fund to you via our service ( MONEY GRAM MONEY TRANSFER
OFFICE ) so you will be receiving $10,000.00usd daily until it
complete the correct amount of ($3.500,000.00 usd).

I write to let you know that $10,000.00 has been sent to you but the
$10,000.00 is under the system of on hold. For the reason that you are
required to send money to obtain this CERTIFICATE OF FUND OWNERSHIP.
>From federal ministry of finance in our country benin republic; and
this certificate will cover you when you go to pick up the first
payment we sent to you and you will pick it through MONEY GRAM in your
country and also it will secure the fund we transferred for you today
to enable you pick up the first payment of $10.0000.00 in any Money
Gram branch. Try to send required money $85 immediately to release the
payment REFFERENCE NUMBER to you; it is very urgent for you; to enable
us release the $10,000.00 usd which is on hold now. Being a director
general I have used my influence to sent your first payment of
$10,000.00usd but it placed on hold due to the money of certificate is
not been send.

Your first-payment of $10, 000, 00 has been made since today morning
so you are required as a matter of urgency to send this money $85 to
obtain certificate and immediately we receive the money then we call
you to go and pick up your money so let you know we will send you the
certificate of fund ownership to you first before you pick up your
money.

Note rush to western union transfer or money gram to send the money
now and after you make payment try to send the payment information
immediately to this email to enable us transfer your money in time
tomorrow just ruch once you receive this email now, so that the
$10,000.00 usd being sent to you will be available in any parts of
MONEY GRAM Office you go in your Country and you pick it up
immediately without delay or problem.

Meanwhile, we are assuring you that there is no fee again from you
except the certificate money which will help you get your fund in good
way.

CERTIFICATE OF FUND OWNERSHIP is easily here in our country Benin
republic. So you have to take these words honest; for this department
to release your funds immediately today.

INFORMATION OF THE FIRST MONEY GRAM MADE WITH YOUR NAME WHICH WILL BE
RELEASED AS SOON AS WE HAVE RECEIVED THE SUM OF $85 ONLY IN TIME TODAY
FOR THE COST BILL OF YOUR TRANSFER.

Meanwhile, we are assuring you that there is no fee in future again
and if there is we will bear the cost of the fee. So you have to take
this word honest. This is the information you will use to send the
$85. for this department to release your funds immediately today.

Reconfirm your information to assist us post your funds to right location,

Name:........

Country: .................

Phone no:................

Age/sex:...............

Sender name............ Mr. Godwin Johnson

Refference number......678.268.03

You will send the fee through WESTERN UNION / MONEY GRAM with this
informations bellow.

Receiver Name_____Mr. Anthony Ifezue

Country____________Benin Republic

City________________Cotonou

Text Question_______Honest?

Answer_____________Trust.

Sender Name_______

Amount Expected____$85 .Only

MTCN OR REFFERENCE NUMBER______________

Payment should be sent with the below information today as you said
,and make the payment through Western Union Money Transfer or Money
Gram use our bank cashier name in sending the money to us through
Western Union money transfer or Money Gram,

May the Lord Our God give you the foresight and foreknowledge to
understand that this,the Peace of God be with you.

Meanwhile ,we are waiting you to call me with my phone number now /+22993143178

immediately you receive this email today Thanks.

YOURS IN SERVICE
Mr. Godwin. M Johnson
TEL / FAX +22999854382
MINISTRY FEDERAL REPUBLIC
FINANCIAL BANK REPUBLIC OF BENIN
WWW.MONEY GRAM.CO.COM

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam