419 scam: WESTERN UNION <weberallen@yahoo.com> YOUR US$950,000.00 FROM BENIN REPUBLIC

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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. )
- "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. )
- "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.
- +22968434692 (Benin, probably a 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.
- westernunionofficecotonoubenin@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION <weberallen@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: westernunionofficecotonoubenin@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2012 15:21:19 +0100 (BST)
Subject: YOUR US$950,000.00 FROM BENIN REPUBLIC

Attention Dear,

Â

Â Â Â This is to inform you that the America Embassy office has today with FBI instructed that we should start transferring your fund $950,000.00 U.S Dollars compensating all the SCAM VICTIMS, and your email was found as one of the VICTIMS approved by the America security leading team and Americaâ€™s representative officers after meeting with IMF Minster Dr . Jonas Gbian. So between today been 28TH of September till 4TH of October 2012 you will be receiving the sum of $4,500 dollars per day. However be informed that we have already sent the $4,500 dollars this morning after the programming of your payment on Dally bases. This is to show that your payment has finally approved to avoid cancellation of your payment $950,000.00.

You have only six hours to call this office upon the respect of this email the maximum amount you will be receiving per day â€œstarting from today is $4,500 and the Money Transfer Control Number of today is below.

Â

NOTE; The sent $4,500 is on hold because of the instruction from US Embassyâ€™s Delegates, they asked us to place it on hold by requesting the (Clean Bill Record Certificate) in order to fulfill all necessary obligation to avoid any hitches while catching your payment through Western Union money transfer in your country, the necessary obligation, i mean here, we need to obtain the (Clean Bill Record Certificate before you will allow to pick up) And it will cost only $49.00 dollar take note.

Below is the information of today, you may not be able to track it in our website http://www.westernunion.com/, because the obligation has not been carried out.

We havenâ€™t affected it online for security reasons, to avoid hackers stealing the money online.

Senders :............ Kenneth Ezechukwu

MTCN: â€¦â€¦.. Yet to activate

Question:...........Time

Answer:.............6hrs

Amount: :...........$4,500.00

We need the below details from you, to enable us fully activate the payment to your name for it to reflect in your country's western union branch office, and to update our file records:

1. YOUR FULL NAMES:===?=====

2. Postal ADDRESS:====?=====

3. PHONE NUMBER:=====?======

4. CELL NUMBERS:=====?=====

5. EMAIL ADDRESS:====?======

6. SEX:=============?=======

7. AGE:=============?=====

8. OCCUPATION:=====?=======

9. NATIONALITY:==?=======

Furthermore you are advised to call us as the instruction was passed that within 6hours without hearing from you, Consider your payment canceled. Number to call is the below listed managing director's office of the release order: +229-68-43-46-92. Email them via (westernunionofficecotonoubenin@yahoo.com) immediately!!!

Â

Direct Line Confirms Your Mtcn Number +229-68-43-46-92.

Â

Thanks

REV. FRANK BUTTE EGO

(Western Union Mgr Benin Rep)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam