419 scam: "Money Gram@" <mmgramoffice@gmail.com> Ref:577-342- 20

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "foreign remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
- "lagos" (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.
- +2348096799114 (Nigeria, 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.
- mmgramoffice@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Money Gram@" <mmgramoffice@gmail.com>
Reply-To: moneygramfile@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2015 02:35:36 +0530
Subject: Ref:577-342- 20

OFFICE OF MONEY GRAM NIGERIA REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 488 IKEJA
AVENUE LAGOS NIGERIA WEB: www.moneygram.com
Contact Payment department;Mr Jude Mbachu.
Contact Email:mmgramoffice@gmail.com

Attention: Beneficiary,

This is to officially inform you that after today's Federal Executive
Consul Meeting,The ministry of Finance has approved that your fund of ONE
MILLION,TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND($1,240,000.00) which was initial
approved that western union will be paying to you $5000 us dollars on
daily basis until your ($1,240,000.00) is completed ,It has come to the
notice of the newly appointed Minister that western union department
wanted to rip you off as a result of so much fund they are demanding from
you and some of their staff were into fraudulent act Federal Executive
Consul Meeting (FEC) Has now ORDERED that your total fund
($1,240,000.00)will now be paid to you through MONEY GRAM,

Yes, we are aware that western union department requested about $150 us
dollars from you for them to use and re-activate your FILE which has been
dormant,Well,it has now been approved that you will only send the sum of
$49 us dollars for the re-activation,The minister of finance was unhappy
when he come across your payment file,He ordered that instead of the
initial demand which was $150,He now ordered that you will pay only $49 us
dollars for the re-activation of your fund because he does not want your
fund to still be in the country without it been transferred,So I would
like you to act fast and send the $49 us dollars immediately after you
receive this email,Remember that this is the only way you will claim your
Money without any problem,

So you are been advise to send the re-activation fee of $49 us dollars to
this below information,I want to assure that once you send the fee
Today,You will start receiving your $5000 us dollars daily through Money
Gram by Tomorrow morning,

BELOW ARE THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO SEND THE $49 US DOLLARS OK,PLEASE
MAKE SURE YOU SPELL THE NAME CORRECTLY TO AVOID ANY DELAY

RECEIVER NAME....UDE IKENA

CITY/COUNTRY.....LAGOS-REPUBLIC NIGERIA

QUESTION.........GOOD

ANSWER...........NEWS

AMOUNT............$49

Note; this is the only payment you are required to make in this regards
for every other fee have been waived by the Federal Ministry,Also,Don't
expose this numbers to anybody else for security reason,

YOUR PAYMENT OF $5,000.00 USD DETAILS

Senders :........... Juel Smith
REF#:...............577-342- 20
Amount: :...........$5000.00

YOURS IN SERVICE,
MR JUDE MBACHU
+234 8096799114
Email:mmgramoffice@gmail.com
Director Foreign Remittance Department MONEY GRAM

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam