419 scam: Money Gram <"www."@wit.ocn.ne.jp> Dear, Friend,

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- +22968687418 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Money Gram <"www."@wit.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Money Gram <frankdileo13@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2017 00:54:31 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Dear, Friend,

Dear, Friend,

compliment of the season, THE INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $4500.00. FROM YOUR TOTAL (1.200.000.00usd) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM,TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE.YOU ARE TO PAY WHAT EVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE; WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.you get this mail as the only Operation Manager in charge of your payment, and I will send you another payment tomorrow once you pick up the first one, Phone Number +229 68 68 74 18 contact me once you track the $4500 USD today. Below is the Money Gram information to pick up the $4500 USD;which you will be receiving daily after you send the ACTIVATION FEE of ANY AMOUNT YOU ARE HAVING AT HAND and it will serve are-confirmation of your payment file in this office.NOTE:That you cannot pick up these funds if the ACTIVATION FEE is not paid for.

click here to view your transaction status
.https://secure.moneygram.com/transactions/6227224/Shabangu Your
payment is available.

1) Senders Name: John Shabangu
2) MTCN Number:6227224
3) Amount: $13,642.37. USD.

Track it with this link: https://secure.moneygram.com/track

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $4500.00. ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO OPTION BUT TO DEACTIVATE YOUR MTCN OF WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE SUM I WANT YOU TO SEND THE RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.

1. RECEIVER NAME_________David Nwabisi
2. COUNTRY________________BENIN REPUBLIC
3. CITY__________________COTONOU
4. TEST QUESTION_________WHEN
5. TEST ANSWER_________TODAY
6. MTCN________________?
7. SENDER S NAME_______?

PLEASE ANY AMOUNT YOU SEND LET US KNOWS, SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE AND YOU WILL PICKUP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $4500.00 TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW IN ANY AGENT LOCATION IN YOUR AREA.Mr. Frank Dileo. MANAGER
FROM Money Gram OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR PAYMENT.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam