419 scam: "WESTERN UNION PROMOTION" <info@westernunion.com> PAYMENT

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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. )
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.
- +2348179815324
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.
- westernuniondpt00@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION PROMOTION" <info@westernunion.com>
Reply-To: westernunionprom00@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:04:33 -0500
Subject: PAYMENT

Dear Sir / Madam,

For 159 years, Western Union has been connecting people. At Western Union,
there's so much more than money you're sending. Every sender and receiver
is important to us. To celebrate our 159th anniversary, we're rewarding
some of our customers with prizes of £100, 000.00 Because you or your
friend, relatives 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 below to my email address
westernuniondpt00@yahoo.com.hk for immediate payment of your £100, 000.00

1.) Full name:
2.) Contact address:
3.) Age:
4.) Sex:
5.) Occupation:
6.) Your fax and Mobile Telephone Number:
7.) Your email address:

You will be contacted by Western Union in the next 24 hours as soon as you
forward your required information to my email address
westernuniondpt00@yahoo.com.hk
Save time, send money, earn rewards! Western Union is a service people trust.

ANNIVERSARY DAY
Fred Frank
Customer service representative
Western Union money Transfer
Email:westernuniondpt00@yahoo.com.hk

Office address: 33 MM WAY BENIN CITY EDO STATE NIGERIA
Tele/Fax: +2348179815324

Thank you for using Western Union!
-----------------------------------------------------
We endeavor to maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to
guard your Information.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam