419 scam: "Mr.Zuman Balanji" <balanjizuman32@yahoo.com.vn> YOUR PAYMENT MTCN: 5600503306

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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:
- "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. )
- "very confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
- "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.
- +22968444195 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Zuman Balanji" <balanjizuman32@yahoo.com.vn>
Reply-To: oficewesternunion@e-mail.ua
Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2012 00:38:26 -1200
Subject: YOUR PAYMENT MTCN: 5600503306

FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,
ANKPA ROAD OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU .

ATTENTION

WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY UNITED NATIONS WORLD WIDE IN CONJUCTION WITH ECONOMIC
COMMUNITEE OF WEST AFRICA STATES COMMISSION COMPENSATION ORGANIZATIONS,TO SEND
YOUR COMPESATION FUNDS OF $950,000.00USD TO YOUR CITY WESTERN UNION OFFICE
FROM HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC OFFICE OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER DEPARTMENT
AND YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR FUND ( $4,000.00 U.S.D ) PER DAY UNTIL YOU
RECEIVE ALL YOUR TOTAL PAYMENT WHICH IS THE SUM OF $950,000.00 USD AS ITS
SCHEDULED IN OUR HEAD OFFICE HERE.

THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP BY RECEIVER ( YOU ) SO TRACK IT AND CONFIRM
YOUR PAYMENT AVAILABLE.BUT YOU CAN NOT CASH IT OUT IN ANY WESTERN UNION OFFICE
DUE TO ITS RESTRICTION FROM OUR HEAD OFFICE, WHICH WAS A SECURITY MEASURE
BECAUSE THE MONEY HAS BEEN IN THE AIR FOR THREE DAYS NOW AND MAYBE IN DANGER,
HENCE THE MTCN HAS TO BE REACTIVATED TO ENABLE YOU CASH OUT THE MONEY IN ANY
WESTERN UNION OFFICE IN YOUR AREA, THE REACTIVATION OF THE MTCN WILL COST YOU
A TOKEN OF $187,ONCE THIS IS PAID, OUR HEAD OFFICE WILL RELEASE THE FUND ON
HOLD TO ENABLE YOU CASH IT

TO BE SURE OF THIS PLEASE LOG ON WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM AND CLICK ON TRACKING
TRANSFER THEN ENTER THE SENDER'S INFO AND MTCN BELOW. HIDE QUOTED TEXT -

SENDER'S FIST NAME: EDWIN
SENDER'S LAST NAME: NONSO
MTCN: 5600503306
QUESTION: WHEN
ANSWER: NOW
AMOUNT: $5000.00USD

TOTAL AMOUNT TO BE CASHED:$950,000.00 USD.

WITH DUE RESPECT PROCEED AHEAD WITH THIS BELLOW INFORMATION AND SEND THE $187
TO US FOR THE REACTIVATION OF YOUR PAYMENT MTCN AS MATTER OF URGENCY TO ENABLE
US COMMERNCE WITH YOUR IMMEDIATE TRANSFER WITHOUT ANY KIND OF DELAY:

RECEIVER NAME EDWIN NONSO
COUNTRY BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY COTONOU
TEST QUESTION WHEN
TEST ANSWER NOW
AMOUNT $187USD

WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR UEGENT RESPONSE TO ENABLE THIS OFFICE KNOW YOUR
ARRANGEMENT FOR THE PAYMENT AND WE WILL ALSO ADVICE YOU TO KEEP YOUR
TRANSACTION WITH US VERY CONFIDENTIAL/SCERECT SO THAT NOBODY WILL PICK YOUR
FUND BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE HOLD RESPONSIBLE IF ANYBODY PICK UP YOUR FUND FROM
YOUR END.

THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR URGENT CALL SOON.

BEST REGARDS,
DR CHRIST BEN
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
TELEPHONE: +229 6844-4195
THIS IS OUR CONDUCT CODE (303)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam