Legal Question in Banking Law in California

I have been getting similar letter below for years. I remembered the first time I received it, I inquired some advice from a trust-worthy friends. He simply said this was a completely scam. Ignore it if you receive the similar one next time. I listened to his advice and have never responded this type of email since that day. I want to know what's going to happen if I actually provide the sender the information he requested. What's the possible result going to be?

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: ( [email protected] )

Telephone:: +229.9805 9689

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

Receiver's Name:

Receiver's Country:

Receiver's City:

Receiver's Address:

Receiver's Mobile Number:

Receiver's Text Question:

Receiver's Answer:

Amount to be sent daily: $10,000.00 US Dollars

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.


Asked on 1/29/13, 11:29 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

There are two possible results, either or both of which may happen. #1 The criminals who run these scams will use the information you send to engage in identity theft and either try to hack and steal money from your actual accounts or use your identity to set up fraudulent credit accounts in your name and steal money that way. #2 They will begin an exchange of emails about "essential" arrangements that must be made before "your" money can be sent to you. It will either require divulging more and more information to facilitate #1, or they will send you checks that need to be deposited to your account and then you will be directed to cut a check from your account to someone else for a portion of what they send you, only their check will turn out to be bogus and the money you sent their fellow con artist will be gone, or they will ask you to send money directly to pay for various "fees" or "gratuities to government officials" etc, before the money can be sent to you. Lastly, even if you don't get sucked in and provide the information or send money, if you respond at all you will be added to every con artist spam list in the book and they will probably also begin counterfeiting your email address for future scams.

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Answered on 1/30/13, 8:46 am


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