419 scam: "WESTERN UNION®"<payment@westernunion.com> YOUR DELAYED PAYMENT!!!

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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. )
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- +447045753449 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION®" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <western.union44uk@att.net>
Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2011 19:05:18 -1200
Subject: YOUR DELAYED PAYMENT!!!

Western Union Administrative Office. {www.westernunion.com)
#109 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0HW, United Kingdom
In Conjunction with United Nations Organization
UNO Compensation payment Committee,.

Kind Attention:

This is to officially inform you that the United Nations Organization compensation payment committee United Kingdom has mapped out funds running into Millions of United States Dollars for the settlement of all outstanding debts (Including Lottery Winnings, Contract payments, Inheritance Funds payments etc) to persons who are yet to receive their long pending funds. The United Nations Organization have directed us, the Western Union administrative office here in London, United Kingdom to take up this assignment and ensure that those whose Email addresses and names fall within this approved beneficiaries list., receive their payment within the next 21 official working days.

We have therefore been directed by the United Nations Security Council to make to you a compensation payment of US$100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) being one of the listed beneficiaries. Be informed that a first part payment of sum of US$10,000 (Ten Thousand U.S Dollars) shall be sent to you on a daily basis for 10 days which is the maximum transferable amount allowed by Western Union Money Transfer per transaction here in the United Kingdom.

We will send you US$10,000 on a daily basis until we finish your payment of US$100,000.00 as directed by The United Nations which is applicable to all those involved in this Compensation payment exercise. Now you are advised to contact us immediately on the phone at: {+44 70457 53449} or email us at: { wumt.uk@info.al } to enable us make the first installment payment of Ten Thousand dollars ($10,000).You are to provide us with the following information to facilitate your payment.

Your full names
Your full contact address
Your Country of residence
Your mobile telephone numbers
Your age and occupation, Etc.

We shall send you every payment information to be able to track your money on the Western Union official Website (www.westernunion.com) upon the confirmation of your details as listed above while you proceed to any of our offices close to you to pick it up accordingly.

Best Regards,
Dr. Garry Williams
Foreign Operations
Western Union Money Transfer
London-UK
Telephone: +44 70457 53449

-------
Note: This message is intended for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed to and contains information that is privileged and confidential, the disclosure of which is governed by applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the owner of the email it is addressed to ,you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this information is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Thanks for your cooperation, Western Union Adminstrative Office, United Kingdom.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam