419 scam: Western Union <western53@yahoo.com.ph> FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.

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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)
- "million dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "u_western@yahoo.in" (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.

Fraud email example:

From: Western Union <western53@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: u_western@yahoo.in
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:54:08 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.

FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
HEAD OFFICE COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 658 AGBOKOU,
ANKPA ROAD LAGOTES PALAR WEB SITE. www..westernunion.com

How are you today?

Well, the reason why I am contacting you now is just to let you know that we have retrieve the $1.5million dollars from our western union branch office to our Head office here, because we find out that our branch office are delaying to transfer the fund to you and using that medium to extort money out from you which is not good. So when I find out this delay I quickly inform my director the situation of thing, he now gave us authorization letter to meet with our branch office and retrieve the fund out which we did.

Now the $1,500, 000.00 united state Dollars (one Million, Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars is with our head office here in Benin Republic,Now you only have 24hours to effect payment for the activation of your MTCN# 5600503306 to enable you cash up your first $6,000:00USD from your total (fund) since you are finding it difficult to pay the charges given to you by our branch office, You are to pay whatever you have starting from $97up for the activation fee; we will activate your mtcn and release your first funds $6,000 to you Today, TRACK IT ON WESTERN UNION ONLINESENDER NAME:::::PAUL CHIOZIE
MTCN:::::5600503306
TEXT QUESTION::::HOW SOON?
ANSWER:::::TODAY.
AMOUNT::::$6000 USD. This head office have decided that you are to pay whatever you have start from $97 so go ahead and pay the money for activation fee since you are not able to come up with the required sum asked you to pay earlier by our branch office, time is of the essence here. Please, understand that accreditations were completed today in your name and instalmental transfer shall be release to you immediately you activate your account with us. The importance of activation is to have these funds registered in your name and be pulled for you with a new pin.We need this done in less than 24 hrs so that you can receive your funds immediately.

Be inform that you will have to pay the balance sum of your activation upon cashing up of your first payment of $6,000:00 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. So I want you to send the amount you have at hand from $97 usd upward. With this information below. And update us amount that you send and the mtcn. 1. Receiver name: Mr Beamin Nwaekwu 2. Country:........Benin Republic
3. City:...........Cotonou
4. Test Question: Trust
5. Test Answer: In GodAmount..............97usdBe inform that you will have to pay the balance sum of your activation upon cashing up of your first payment of $6,000:00 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.

Thanks and God bless you
DR Kelly Edward.
secretary Western Union Head Office (u_western@yahoo.in)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam