419 scam: Western Union <govoffice52@yahoo.com.ph> Western Union Intl Money Transfer Your Approved Payment.

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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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "info@governmentorg.tk" (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 <govoffice52@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: info@governmentorg.tk
Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:35:39 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: Western Union Intl Money Transfer Your Approved Payment.

                         By your host:          Mrs Deborah Dorsey
Date:         Friday 2Ist October 2011
Time:          08:17 - 43:00 (GMT +00:00)
Location Benin:

Good News,

I write to inform you that our payment officer Mr Jerry Collins has send your first payment of $4,200.00 usd today, here is the information; MTCN:No# 8492251069 SENDER FIRST NAME: ( AUSTIN ) SENDER LAST NAME ( GINIKA ) text question how much/ answer 4,200.00 USD only, You can track your payment through our website ( www.westernunion.com ) as we have been given mandate instruction to transfer your full payment total sum of USD $I. 5 million via Western Union by the Government of this country,

I told our payment officer to keep sending you the 4,200.00 USD daily until your total payment of $1.5M usd is completely transferred to you and i want you to know that you shall required to pay only sum of $95 usd for the activation fee of your payment file before you could be able to pick up the 4,200 usd today and to enable our payment officer send you another payment to you first thing tomorrow morning;

HERE IS THE INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND THE 95 usd THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFERS:

RECEIVER NAME ......... CHIKELOU MICHAEL
COUNTRY.......BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY.............COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION........JESUS IS
ANSWER............LOVE
AMOUNT......$95 ONLY.

Do send the payment information such as MTCN NO# Senders Name and address so as you can be able to pick up your 4,200 usd today,

Please remember to email Mr Jerry Collins your direct telephone number with below email I.D ( info@governmentorg.tk ) or call Mr Jerry Collins because he will need to call you once we send you another payment tomorrow,

Thanks as am waiting for your confirmation,

Regards
Deborah Dorsey.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam