419 scam: WESTERN UNION AGENT <costumsservice@yahoo.es> URGENT YOUR PAYMENT SLIP

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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. )
- "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)
- "westernunionmo@ymail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
- "westernunionmo@ymail.com" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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 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.
- ifnotf@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- = ''; yahoo.shortcuts.document_author = 'ifnotf@yahoo.com'; yahoo.shortcuts.document_url = ''; (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION AGENT <costumsservice@yahoo.es>
Reply-To: westernunionmo@ymail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:22:33 +0100 (BST)
Subject: URGENT YOUR PAYMENT SLIP

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ATTN;BENEFICIARY:

THIS INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN 009-650-4871 TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $5,000:00 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 ,YOU ARE TO PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE NOW, WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE OF YOUR ACTIVATION AFTER PICKING UP YOUR FIRST $5,000:00 USD, ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU PICK UP THIS YOUR FIRST MTCN OF $5000USD, YOUR REMAIN FUNDS WILL NOT RELEASE UNTILL AFTER YOU SEND THE BALANCE OF YOUR ACTIVATION, AGAIN I WANT YOU TO SEND YOUR MTCN ACTIVATION TRANSFER FEE WITH THIS INFORMATION BELLOW.

1.RECEIVER NAME:............. MR ANTHONY AFIOCHA

2.COUNTRY:............. BENIN REPUBLIC

3.CITY :............... COTONOU .

4..TEST QUESTION:....HONEST

5.TEST ANSWER:......TRUST.

6.MTCN..............

7.SENDER NAME..........

8.AMOUNT................

EMAIL US WITH BELOW (westernunionmo@ymail.com
ONCE YOU SEND THE MONEY OKAY NOTE THIS IS YOUR PAYMENT INFORMATION BUT YOUR MTCN MUST BE ACTIVATE BEFORE WE CAN GIVE YOUR SENDER NAME TO PICK UP THIS YOUR FIRST MTCN 009-650-4871 OF $5000USD,SO IF YOU WANT TO TRACK THE MONEY AND CONFIRM IF THE FUNDS IS TRANSFERED ENTER OUR WEBSITE WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM

THEN CLICK TRACKING AND ENTER THIS MTCN NUMBER; 009-650-4871 YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR SENDER'S NAME IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU SEND THIS ACTIVATION FEE,HURRY UP IMMEDIATELY AND SEND WHAT YOU HAVE AT HAND NOW TO PICK UP THIS YOUR MTCN 009-650-4871 OF $5000USD

MTCN ===009-650-4871
SENDER NAME: ========
QUESTION====48
TEST ANSWER===HRS
AMOUNT====$5,000,00,

FINALY URGENT SEND US THE MONEY TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY, ABOVE IS OUR ACCOUNT'S INFORMATION FOR YOU TO SEND THE MONEY THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER BEEN YOUR MTCN 009-650-4871 ACTIVATION CHARGERS FOR YOUR $5000.00 USD.
EMAIL US:: (westernunionmo@ymail.com

YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED .
DR ADAM KOFFI
WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT REPUBLIC OF BENIN.FOREGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam