419 scam: "WESTERN UNION"<www@megaport.bg> WESTERN UNION HOLDINGS.

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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
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.
- +2348024301034 (Nigeria, prepaid mobile phone)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- western_dpt@mail.com (Mail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <western_dpt@mail.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2012 20:21:40 +0330
Subject: WESTERN UNION HOLDINGS.

Dear Sir / Madam,

For 156 years, WESTERN UNION has been connecting people. At WESTERN UNION, there's so much more than acrimony you're sending. Every sender and receiver is

important to us. To celebrate our 156th Anniversary Switzerland , we're rewarding our customers with prizes of USD60, 000.00 Because you sent money on-line,

from an agent location or received money through WESTERN UNION , you've been selected. However, you are required to forward the following information for

immediate payment of your USD60, 000.00.

1.) Bank Name:

2.) Beneficiary:

3.) Account Number:

4.) Bank Address:

5.) Swift Code or Routing Number:

6.) Your Mobile Telephone Number:

7.) YOUR ID ;;;;;;;;

8) Ocupation

9) Country

You will be contacted by a WESTERN UNION in the next 24 hours as soon as you forward your required information and you will receive the USD60, 000.00 prizes

immediately from us. Save time, send money, earn rewards! WESTERN UNION is a service people trust.

ANNIVERSARY DAY

Thank you for using WESTERN UNION !

EMAIL:WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER (western_dpt@mail.com)

TELEPHONE +2348024301034

-----------------------------------------------------

We endeavor to maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your Information. We also endeavor to restrict Information access to our

employees, agents and representatives that need to know it. Money Gram will never disclose your personal or billing information to a third party.western

union Money Transfer.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam