419 scam: "Barbara Annette"<a.jedlinski@bellnet.ca> Welcome to Western Union

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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. )
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "lagos" (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.
- +2348020937406 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Barbara Annette" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <transferdept@spbconnect.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:26:04 -0400
Subject: Welcome to Western Union

Welcome to Western Union
Send Money Worldwide
Send Money

OUR DEAR CUSTOMER,

PLEASE YOU ARE ADVISE TO GO TROUGH THIS EMAIL CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND AND READY TO COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS BEFORE REPLYING TO IT. WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY DESMOND RAYMOND TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND TO YOU VIA OUR SERVICE (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER) SO YOU WILL BE RECIEVING $5,000.00 USD DAILY UNTILL IT COMPLETE THE CORRECT AMOUNT ($1.500, 000.00).

MEANWHILE YOU ARE REQUIRE TO SEND US THE TRANSFER CHARGES WHICH IS $350 USD FOR THE $5,000.00 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY REMIT TO YOUR NAME BECAUSE WITH OUT THAT YOU CAN NOT PICK THE MONEY FOR IT IS ON HOLD.

NOTE: THE REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE $350 USD IS THAT WE TRIED TO DEDUCT THE TRANSFER FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF NIGERIA TOLD US THAT NO ONE HAS ACCESS OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO YOU TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING BEACUSE IF ANY ONE HAS ACCESS TO THAT IT WILL INVOLVE YOU LOOSING YOUR FUND, NO ONE HAS TO BE TRUST EVEN YOUR MOTHER OR YOUR FATHER.

HERE IS THE INFORMATION OF THE ONE WE SENT TODAY TO YOU BUT IT WILL REMAIN ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF $350 BEFORE WE CAN RELEASESE IT TO YOU SO YOU CAN TRACK IT WITH OUR WEB SITE. WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM

REGARDING YOUR PAYMENT, YOU ARE HEREBY ADVICE YOU KINDLY CALL THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER TO VERIFY YOUR MTCN NUMBER AND THEREFORE SEND DOWN THE NEEDED PAYMENT OF THE $350 USD.

WESTERN UNION NUMBER: 1-800-325-6000

MTCN............ 884-058-2048

FINALY UPDATE US WITH THE $350 USD TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY, BELOW IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO REMIT THE $350 USD VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER BEEN OUR TRANSFERING CHARGE FOR YOUR $5000.00 USD.

1. RECEIVER NAME: RAYMOND DESMOND
2.COUNTRY: NIGERIA.
3. CITY: LAGOS.
4. TEST QUESTION: IN GOD
5. TEST ANSWER: WE TRUST
6. AMOUNT: $350, USD
MTCN: FILL IN AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS BEING MADE. .

YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED

Thank you for using western union money Transfer

Standard Premium Bank Plc
Website: http://spbconnect.com/nig/personalhome.html

Sign
SIR. JOHN MARTINS BOOMA
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER
Cell: +2348020937406

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam