419 scam: Western Union Money Transfer <robertobochniaalert@live.com> (DEAD) OR (ALIVE)??????????

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "stamp duty" (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. )
- "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.
- +22998679345 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Western Union Money Transfer <robertobochniaalert@live.com>
Reply-To: westerrnunion85@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:37:00 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: (DEAD) OR (ALIVE)??????????

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
WESTERN
UNION MONEY TRANSFER
COTONOU, REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
WEBSITE; www.westernunion.com

DEAR VALUED
CUSTOMER,

WESTERN UNION OF MR.JERRY DURUÂ REMARK CODE:Â
WU286R

Â Â

I AM WRITING TO CONFIRM THE FACT IF YOU
ARE (DEAD) OR (ALIVE) AND FAILURE TO REPLY BACK IN THE NEXT 24HRS SIMPLY MEANS
WHAT REV JUDE BETSY SAID WAS RIGHT THAT YOU ARE DEAD. REV JUDE BETSY HAS AGREED
TO PAY THE NEEDED CHARGE FEE VALUED OF $70.00DOLLARS REQUIRED FOR THE BOND
STAMP DUTY FEE OF YOUR FUNDS , BUT WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE MONEY FROM HIM YET AS
WE WANT TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE DEAD OR NOT, SO IF YOU ARE STILL (ALIVE) YOU ARE
ADVICE IN YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST TO REPLY BACK.

THE ONLY MONEY YOU WILL PAY TO OUR
OFFICE HERE IS JUST $70.00 FOR THE PAPER WORKS, TAKE NOTE OF THIS NOW, SO WE
CAN STOP FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH REV JUDE BETSY AND START YOUR PAYMENT TO YOU
BEING THE ORIGINAL BENEFACTOR OF THE $500,000US DOLLARS.

BELOW IS THE
PAYMENT INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO SEND THE $70.00 TO OUR CASHIER

RECEIVERS NAME===== MR.ITEMBA JOSEPH
COUNTRY============BENIN
REPUBLIC
CITY===============COTONOU
TEXT QUESTION=======IN GOD
TEXT
ANSWERS======= WE TRUST
AMOUNT============$70.00USD

YOU MUST SEND US THE DETAILS PROVIDED BY WESTERN UNION IMMEDIATELY YOU MADE
THE PAYMENT OF $70.00USD.
Â
BESIDE IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE NEEDED
$70.00 DOLLARS REQUIRED THEREâ€™S NO WAY WE CAN SEND OUT YOUR PAYMENT TO YOUR
CITY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU ARE STILL ALIVE, REPLY BACK
FOR FAST ACTION SO THAT YOUR PAYMENT WILL COMMENCE UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR
PAYMENT.

Â THE MANAGEMENT OF
WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER, BENIN REPUBLIC HEAD OFFICE.

Â Â
DISPATCHED THIS DAY. FOR
INQUIRY, CALL
+229-98679345
Â Â Â

SINCERELY,

MR.JERRY DURU

+229-98679345

Â

Western
Unionï¿½ Money
Transfer,

Head Office Benin
Republic.

Western
Unionï¿½

Send
Money
Worldwide

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam