419 scam: "Mrs. Augustina J. Jacobs" <mrjohnsteven12@gmail.com> CONTACT MONEYGRAM REMITANCE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY FOR YOUR PAYMENT.

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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. )
- "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. )
- ",500,000" (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)
- "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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.
- +229 (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.
- dr.j.dicks@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Augustina J. Jacobs" <mrjohnsteven12@gmail.com>
Reply-To: dr.j.dicks@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 8 Jan 2013 23:40:40 +0800 (CST)
Subject: CONTACT MONEYGRAM REMITANCE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY FOR YOUR PAYMENT.

Attention Dear Customer.

How are you doing dear? This is to notify
you that there was fund worth the sum of One Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States of American Dollars ($1,500,000.00) which was deposited to Western
Union International, Cotonou Benin Republic in your name by the Ministry of
Finance, Federal Republic of Benin but the Western Union couldn't be able to
send the funds to you because of the problems they are having with International
Monetary Fund (I.M.F.). Due to the fact that the Western Union Office are having
some problems with the I.M.F. Office we then had an official meeting with
Federal Financial Ministry officials about the matter which we successfully
concluded that the money would be reduced to the normal sum of Nine Hundred
Thousand United States of American Dollars ($900,000.00) while the rest of the
funds ($600,000.00) was to returned to the Paris Club International to avoid
more problems with any authority because it's the Paris Club International that
released the fund in your name. After everything we decided that your fund which
is now the sum of $900,000.00 should be deposited in Money Gram Office here so
that it will be safer for you to receive them.

We the Money Gram
Department Office of Benin Republic have sent your full compensation payment of
$900.000.00 US Dollars to Money Gram Remittance office here. You will be
receiving $10,000.00 US Dollars per day. Right now your total Funds $900.000.00
US Dollars is in Dr. Dicks custody. Director General Dr. Joshua Dicks will start
transferring the payment to you as soon as you email or phone him. Contact our
Director Dr. Joshua Dicks and ask him to give you the Money Gram transfer
payment information so that you can be able to start picking up your $10,000.00
US Dollars everyday until your total funds of $900.000.00 US Dollars is
completely sent to you through Money Gram Remittance Office here without any
trouble along the line.

HERE IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF MONEY
GRAM:

Director General: Dr. Joshua Dicks.
E-mail address: ( dr.j.dicks@hotmail.com
)
Telephone:: +229.9617.5036

FILL UP YOUR FULL INFORMATION AS LISTED
BELOW AND SEND TO HIM. HE WILL USE THE INFORMATION FOR TRANSFERRING THE PAYMENT
TO YOU:

Receiver name: __________
Country:
_________________
City:____________________
Test question:
___________
Answer: __________________
Telephone number:
________

Call or email him now so that he will provide the Money Gram
payment information to you.
Thanks and God be with you.

Yours
Faithful,
Mrs. Augustina J. Jacobs, the CEO Money Gram Office of Benin
Republic.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam