419 scam: "WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER"<postmaster@marlin.tur.cu> Thanks For Using Western Union International Money Transfer.

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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. )
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "abuja" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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 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.
- mr.robertgodwin111@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr.robertgodwin111@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2012 04:29:26 -0400
Subject: Thanks For Using Western Union International Money Transfer.

WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
INSTALLMENT PAYMENT OFFICE
Website: www.westernunion.com
Email: mr.robertgodwin111@hotmail.com

WESTERN UNION INSTALLMENT PAYMENT ONLY.

Attn: Beneficiary,

We write to inform you officially that the Board of Director of the Debt
Reconciliation Center,In conjunction with the Federal Republic of
Nigeria,Federal Ministry of Finance Nigeria, Western union Agent Akpakpa
with the UK LOTTERY ORGANIZATION has approved the payment sum of
$2,500,000,00(TWO MILLION AN FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS) as
a DEPT RECONCILIATION PAYMENT, for your Winning funds with Compensation Head
office, deposited by the Uk Lottery Organization for payment to you as the
Winning owner/Beneficiary of the amount $2,500,000.00usd After the Law
Enforcement judgment between the UK LOTTERY ORGANIZATION.

Agent Mr. Chris Godson and Compensation finance head office, The meeting
held on the 6th of April 2011,with the aforementioned office and banks, the
Concluded arrangement has appointed our office(Western Union Money Transfer)
to pay your unpaid Winning fund through western union electronic system for
your easy pickup and to avoid further unforeseen delay that could make your
fund not to get to you in a timely manner.

The Management of the UK LOTTERY ORGANIZATION HEAD BRANCH here in West
Africa have submitted your name, city and country information to our office
for endorsement & daily activation of your payment which has been programmed
to be transferred under installment at rate of $9,900 daily as Western Union
laws here does not allow transferring funds above $10,000 at once from this
country to another, but will be sending under installment of $9,900 daily
till the amount is completely paid. In other words. We have today
transferred your first installment payment available for your pickup at any
western union office nearest to you, but still on hold due to the unpaid
endorsement & daily activation file fee amount of $250 you supposed to pay
before your daily transfer will be made available to you daily.

You will pickup the bellow installment at any western union office nearest
to you with bellow information's as soon as you send the $250 endorsement &
daily activation file fee. You are to track your first installment payment
online at www.westernunion.com OR Call Western Union tracking number
1-800-325-6000 for available fund for your verification purpose.

Payment information
Sender Name: Charles Davis
MTCN: 8589476006
(Track the mtcn with the 1-800-325-6000 or
https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global)
Text Question: Sport?
Answer: Golf
Amount Programmed: $9,900

To Avoid any atom of mistake, you are hereby required to reconfirm your
payment receiver's name and address to avoid any mistake of payment
activation during activation process of your payment as soon as the daily
endorsement charges is paid.

Reconfirm the information as given to you below.

Receiver's Name:
Receiver's address:
Receiver's Tel. Number :

Please note that the receiver's information is very vital to us as the
activation of your daily installment will be directing to your receiver;s
name and address. The endorsement & daily activation file fee of $250 will
be sending to our office here in care to ............ through western union
nearest to you:

Receive by: Kelvin Obani
City & Country: Lagos,Nigeria
Amount: $250
Text Question: Helper?
Answer: God.
As soon as you send the fee, send us the Money transfer Control Number
Mtcn to help us proceed with immediate transfer release of your
installment payment.

Once your payment is confirmed, we shall proceed with the activation of your
payment for available pickup in your country/Address.

Notice: This payment was approved by the federal ministry of finances Abuja,
Nigeria to the above beneficiary name only.

We anticipate your kind co-operation.

Thanks For Using Western Union International Money Transfer.

Sincerely Regards,
Mr. Robert Godwin
Payment Department

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam