419 scam: "Mr.James Akuma" <jimaku02@ig.com.br> ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION!!

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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:
- "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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
- "moneygram_transfer_bj@cc.tc" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "moneygram_transfer_bj@cc.tc" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22993698319 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.James Akuma" <jimaku02@ig.com.br>
Reply-To: jimaku01@ig.com.br
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 03:30:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION!!

ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION!!
WE ARE HERE TO NOTIFY YOU THAT AFTER THE MEETING HELD YESTERDAY MORNING BEING,08,OCT,2010.HIS EXCELLENCE THE PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN DR YAYI BONII.
HAS INSTRUCTED THIS DEPARTMENT TO SEND YOUR FUNDS THROUGH MONEY GRAM REMITTING OFFICE TRANSFER WORLD WIDE,FOR EASIER RECEIVE OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUNDS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY.SINCE YOU WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR MONEY THROUGH WESTERN UNION OR COURIER COMPANIES DUE TO THEIR MANAGEMENT BUT NOW WE HAVE SENT YOUR FULL COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $850.000.00USD TO YOU THROUGH MONEY GRAM.

YOU WILL BE RECEIVING $6500.00USD PER DAY,BUT WE WANT YOU TO CONTACT THE MANAGEMENT IN MONEY GRAM RIGHT NOW,TO AVOID PAYING MONEY TO THE FRAUD STARS THAT IS GOING ON THROUGH THE WORLD BECAUSE WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT OF ($850.000.00USD) EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS,TO BE SENT TO YOU TODAY THROUGH MONEY GRAM TRANSFER PAYMENT.YOUR PAYMENT WILL SENDING TO YOU BY MONEY GRAM,FOR YOUR INFORMATION THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUNDS HAVE ALREADY SIGNED YOUR PAYMENT,NOW YOU ARE FREE TO COMPLY WITH MONEY GRAM PAYMENT OFFICE ON THIS EMAIL (moneygram_transfer_bj@cc.tc) HOWEVER, KINDLY CONTACT THE BELOW PERSON WHO IS IN POSITION TO RELEASE YOUR PAYMENT BY MONEY GRAM. PER DAY ($6500.00USD).CENTRAL BANK MONEY GRAM TRANSFER DEPARTMENT.LOCATION ADDRESS; PLOT 1261,ADELA HOPEWELL STREET CO/BJ/REP,

CONTACT PERSON: MR.SAM OBI TEL PHONE FAX NUMBER: +22993698319 EMAIL ADDRESS ( moneygram_transfer_bj@cc.tc )THE WORLD MONEY GRAM PAYMENT CANTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT YOUR PAYMENT AND YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S) TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT THEREFORE THE ONLY FEE YOU HAVE TO PAY THEM IS $99 ONLY USD THAT THEY WILL USE TO RENEWING OF YOUR FILE,SO BE ADVICE TO CONTACT THEM IMMEDIATELY YOU GET THIS EMAIL BECAUSE EVERY THING HAS BEEN DONE OK,AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONCE AGAIN NOTE,THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE NIGERIANS/AFRICANS SCAM THAT ALL THEY ARE AFTER IS TO RIPE YOU OFF YOUR MONEY AND AT THE END YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS, BUT NOTE THAT THIS IS NO SCAM AND IS DIRECTLY FROM THE OUR PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN DR YAYI BONII OFFICE TO SERVE YOU BETTER.

YOUR NAME...............
COUNTRY..................
PHONE NO.................
ADDRESS/CITY............
AGE/SEX..............
ID.......
CALL OR EMAIL HIM NOW SO THAT HE CAN PROVIDE THE MONEY GRAM INFORMATION TO YOU AS URGENT AS YOU CAN.ALSO DO LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY THEY HAVE STARTED SENDING YOUR MONEY,BUT TRY TO COMPLY WITH THEM TO ENABLE THEM SERVE YOU BETTER.
THANKS, DR.JAMES UDO AKUMA
THANKS AND GOD BLESS.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam