419 scam: WESTERN UNION PAYMEN <weste2rnunon@africamail.com> GOOD DAY IMMEDIATELY ANSWER//

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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:

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. )
- "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.
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.
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.
- +22921005590 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- +22996959517 (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.
- weste2rnunon@africamail.com (Africamail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION PAYMEN <weste2rnunon@africamail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2010 08:37:05 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: GOOD DAY IMMEDIATELY ANSWER//

OFFICE OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD LAGOTES PALA
MY DIRECT PHONE LINE IS+229-21005590
===================================================================
Attention Beneficiary: CONTACT PHONE LINE IS +229-96959517 (MRS. PRICNESS ANGELA EMAIL:( weste2rnunon@africamail.com ) 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 $4,000 FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND) 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 WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE; WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS

PAYMENT.BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST 4,000:00 USD, 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 NOW, WE DECIDED TO EMAIL YOU THE MTCN AND SENDER NAME SO THAT YOU WILL PICK UP THE $4000 USD TO ENABLE US SEND ANOTHER $4000 USD TODAY AS YOU KNOW WE WILL BE SENDING YOU ONLY $4000 USD PER DAY AND IT WAS AGREED THAT YOU WILL PAY THE SUM OF PART OF THE FEE AS A WESTERN UNION SENDING FEE BEFORE WE WILL RELEASE THE PAYMENT TO YOU THERE IN YOUR PICKING POINT, THIS IS BECAUSE THE SENATE PRESIDENT INSURED THE FUND AND ORDERED US NOT TO DEDUCT A CENT FROM THE TOTAL FUND

USD HERE IS THE SENDERS INFORMATION, SO YOU CAN TRACK THIS MTCN 776-352-0440 VIA WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM AND SEE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO
PICK UP BY YOU

SENDER FIRST NAME: ANNE, LAST NAME:LEHMANS
MTCN:----------7763520440
TEXT QUESTION----
ANSWER----------
Once again be advice to reconfirm your information such as;
RECEIVER NAME____
COUNTRY___________
CITY________________
TEL_________________
TEST QUESTION______
ANSWER_____________
I WANT YOU TO SEND THE RENEWING AND TRANSFER FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.

1.RECEIVER NAME:.............MR SIMEON OBIORAH
2.COUNTRY:............. BENIN REPUBLIC .
3.CITY :............... COTONOU .
4..TEST QUESTION:....HONEST
5.TEST ANSWER:......TRUST.

SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECIEPT OF YOUR $4000 TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW.
REGARDS MY DIRECT PHONE LINE IS +229-21005590 DR WEST JOHN
FROM WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR PAYMENT

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam