419 scam: Western Union <centerprizecollection@gmail.com> CONGRATULATION:YOU ARE SELECTED.

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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. )
- "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. )
- ",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)
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 <centerprizecollection@gmail.com>
Reply-To: euro-africbf@blumail.org
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2012 18:27:04 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: CONGRATULATION:YOU ARE SELECTED.

Attn: Client,

We
here-by notify you that the sum of $ 1,500,000.00 US dollars was generated and
awarded to you by the money transfer service companies in corroboration with the
European Union, Afri-Pam and the Arab League financial exchange as one of the
customers who uses Western Union,paypal,money Gram or other alternative
transfers in their business transaction.

This award was selected
through the financial exchange collector database straw drill (FOD), where your
email address, sender and receiver names was indicated and notified. The Union
commission collects email addresses of people active online in social networks,
among the millions of people who use Western Union, PayPal and Money Gram and
other money transfer options in various business transactions. People are
selected yearly according to the annual profits records of the money transfer
service companies to benefit from this promotion and you are one of the Selected
Winners.

The award was designed to encourage small business
owners, typically less affluent people, to secure and restore consumer
sovereignty, allowing people to spend money on what they choose. It also helps
in bridging the gap between the poor and the rich which is in increase day by
day. The award is organised in different countries annually for the purpose of
fairness and equality.And this year winner selection was done in Burkina Faso
west Africa.

Therefore, provide bellow the necessary information
required for processing the payment awarded to you by the commission.

Your Full name:
Home Address:
City:
Country:
Phone
number:
Occupation:
Age:

Finally, it is expected the
winner gets to choose between an annuity payment and a one-time payment of the
total amount awarded. Indicate the means of receiving the award.The award
commission will provide your information to the western union office in Burkina
Faso for the first payment per a maximum amount payable in your country by the
western union.This is an agreement reached to help the winner to open a bank
account that can contain the balance.

You are required to enquire
from your country's Western Union office the maximum amount
payable.

NOTE:It is not western union that awarded the prize.You are
only being contacted by us as one of the money transfer companies approved to
make the transfer to the beneficiary of the prize.

Yours
Faithfully,

Edward Johnson.

Award Coordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam