419 scam: Western Union <ecobankforeignremittdepartmenter@yahoo.fr> Your First Mtcn Of $500usd bellow

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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:
- "required 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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.
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.
- www.westernunion@ukr.net (Ukr; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: Western Union <ecobankforeignremittdepartmenter@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: www.westernunion@ukr.net
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:02:14 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Your First Mtcn Of $500usd bellow

FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA
ROAD OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU.WEB:http://site.www.westernunion.com/
EMAIL; (www.westernunion@ukr.net

HELLO MY GOOD FRIEND
WE WISH TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE MINISTER OF FINANCE DR BEN JOHNSON HAS ORDERED THAT THE ONLY MONEY YOU WILL SEND TO RECEIVE YOUR INHERITANCE FUND WHICH HAS BEEN IN THIS WESTERN UNION OFFICE FOR LONG TIME IS JUST $48 DOLLARS ONLY SO THAT WE WILL START SENDING TO YOU YOUR $5000 US DOLLARS DAILY UNTILL YOUR TOTAL FUND OF ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND US DOLLARS IS PAID TO YOU AND IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY BY SENDING THIS FEE WITHIN 3 DAYS OF THIS ORDER,YOUR TOTAL FUND WOULD BE CONFISCATED AND IT WILL BE TRANSFER TO GOVERNMENT PURSE,   THIS IS THE FINAL ORDER FROM MINISTER OF FINANCE, SO IF YOU LOVE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND KINDLY GO AND SEND THE REQUIRED FEE TO ENABLE US RENEWAL YOUR EXPIRED DOCUMENTS.

SO I URGE YOU TO TRY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO SEE THAT YOU SEND THE $48 US DOLLARS IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL TODAY SO THAT WE WILL FINALIZE EVERY THING TODAY,BY TOMORROW,YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR FIRST $5000 US DOLLARS DAILY,

BELOW ARE THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO SEND THE $48.00 US DOLLARS OK,
NAME.............MR MBONU OBINNA
COUNTRY.........BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY................COTONOU
QUESTION........TRUST
ANSWER............PAYMENT
AMOUNT...........$48.
M T C N............
AND E MAIL US THE PAYMENT INFORMATION HERE IN OUR WESTERN UNION OFFICE EMAIL: (www.westernunion@ukr.net
CONTACT MR DONE THE PAYMENT OFFICER

ALSO RECONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION TO AVOID MISTAKE
YOUR RECEIVER NAME .......
YOUR            ADDRESS ........
PHONE        NUMBERS..........

WE ARE WAITING TO RECEIVE THE PAYMENT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY DO IT,
REGARDS.
MR CANON CHARLES OLOMBE
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam