419 scam: "SIR.Francis" <officefile743@gmail.com> Money Gram International Transfer Alert

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "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. )
- "tax clearance" (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)
- "tax clearance" (Tax offices mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. Even after you pay their fake tax demands you will still not receive the non-existent funds you have been promised. )
- "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.
- +22968632444 (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.activationdepartment@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "SIR.Francis" <officefile743@gmail.com>
Reply-To: moneygram.activationdepartment@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2014 00:01:57 -0400
Subject: Money Gram International Transfer Alert

Attn Customer,

There is an issue involving $3.7M US Dollar which was called to Our Bank
(CAPITAL CITY BANK) from THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE OF BENIN REPUBLIC
concerning your compensation of $3.700,000.00 USD has been forwarded to Money
Gram Agent Office and An instruction has come directly from Dr. Jona Akim of
Ministry Of Finance.

He asked us to start sending your fund installment ally $8,000.00 per a day
through International Money Gram transfer. This type of transfer means, you
will be receiving $8,000.00 every day through the International Money Gram
transfer until the total of $3.7MUSD is completely transferred to you.

As a matter of urgency,to effect your first payment of $8,000 through Money
Gram, Now you have to Contact Mr. Kenneth Newton, the director Money Gram on
his contact below as he is the person in charge of your payment.

The International Money Gram Office:
Name: Mr. Kenneth Newton
Tel: +229 68 632 444
E-mail: moneygram.activationdepartment@yahoo.co.uk

Here is the details you needed to forward to them, in order to help you pick
the first payment of $8,000.00usd.
Reconfirm your address:
Full name:
Personal Telephone number:
Age:
Driver license /international passport

Remember, You will also have to send them the Tax Clearance charges and
registration of payment file,which is $155 [as per the instruction from the
International Monetary Fund (I.M.F) Pls, Contact Mr. Kenneth Newton ASAP and
send them the above requirements,for them to release the pick up information
for your first $8,000 payment.

Sir. Francis David,
Ministry Of Finance,
Cotonou-Benin Republic.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam