419 scam: "WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OUTLET" <westernunion

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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. )
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "claimz-mtcn@live.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 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.
- +2347059329534 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OUTLET" <westernunion_outlet@yahoo.com.hk>
Reply-To: claimz-mtcn@live.com
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 09:56:37 -0600 (CST)
Subject:

DEAR BENEFICIARY.

HERE IS YOUR AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP FOR YOUR COMPASENTION PAYMENT WIRED BY
THE UNITED NATION.MEANWHILE BE INFORM THAT THESE FUND ARE COMING DIRECTLY
FROM UNITED NATIONS. IT IS A GRAND DONATION FROM THE UNITED NATIONS AFRICA
TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS FINANCIALLY DUE TO THE GLOBAL AND FINANCIAL
ECONOMIC MELTDOWN. YOU WERE SELECTED GLOBALLY AS ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES,
THAT IS THE REASON WHY YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS NOTIFICATION,AND WE ARE ONLY
TO PAY BENEFICIARIES ONCE THEY MEET UP WITH THEIR FINANCIAL
OBLIGATIONS.BELOW IS THE INFORMATION WE HAVE PROCESSED TO BE PAID TO YOU

First name=========== ozekwe
Scondname=========== lawrence
Test question======== WHEN
Test answer:============ NOW
Amount======== == = $5,000
MTCN========== 8222623510

YOU CAN TRACK THIS ABOVE INFORMATION IN OUR WEBSITE BY GOING TO
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM AND FILE IN SENDER FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME ,THEN
MTCN CODE TO KNOW THAT YOUR MONEY IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU THE RECEIVER.

YOU CAN NOT YET GO FOR THIS FUND BECAUSE WE NEED TO RE-NEW YOUR PAYMENT
FILE HERE IN OUR OFFICE IN YOUR NAME, BEFORE ANY OFFICE CAN PAY YOU,YOU
ARE REQUIRED TO SEND US THE RE-NEWING FEE OF $97 TO ENBLE US CARRY OUT
THIS TASK ON YOUR PAYMENT FILE AND RELEASE YOUR FUND TO YOU.

NOTE:WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU FOR ANY UPFRONT PAYMENT TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND,
THE REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SETTLE FOR THE RE-NEWING FEE IS THAT WE
TRIED TO DEDUCT THE FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE UNITED NATIONS WARNED
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 HAVE ACCESS TO DO THAT IT WILL RESULT
YOU LOOSING YOUR FUND.THEREFORE ,YOU SHOULD NOT GET CONFUSED OR WORRIED.WE
SHALL HANDLE YOUR PAYMENT TO YOU ONCE YOUR PAYMENT FILE IS RENEWED AND
CONFIRM.

YOU ARE TO SEND THE RENEWING FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELOW.

1.RECEIVER NAME:............KINGSLEY OKOH
2.COUNTRY:............. NIGERIA
3.CITY :............... ABUJA
4..TEST QUESTION:....WHEN?
5.TEST ANSWER:......NOW.
MTCN:...............
SENDER NAME:...............

SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE
CONFIRM THE RE-NEWING FEE WE WILL WORK ON YOUR FUND AND SEND YOU THE FIRST
RECIEPT OF YOUR $5000 TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW AND YOU WILL GO TO ANY OF OUR
OFFICE NEAR YOU TO WITHDRAW YOUR FIRST PAYMENT OF $5,000 AND WE SHALL SEND
YOU THE SECOND $5,0000 AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVE THE FIRST PAYMENT.

CALL ME IMMEDIATELY +234 705 932 9534

THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.

In Your Service,
Rev.Dr.Samson White.
E-MAIL: claimz-mtcn@live.com
Western union Agent.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam