419 scam: "Mr. STeven Clayton" <ics@wu.gov> Western Union Money Transfer@Pickup Your Installment First 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:

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:
- "activation 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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
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: "Mr. STeven Clayton" <ics@wu.gov>
Reply-To: westernnn7@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 14:04:32 +0530
Subject: Western Union Money Transfer@Pickup Your Installment First Payment.

Western Union Money Transfer@ Western Union Agent: Email:westernnn7@gmail.c=
om Website: www.westernunion.com WESTERN UNION INSTALLMENT PAYMENT ONLY. Fi=
rstly, I must start by apologizing for the delay in response to you and for=
not contacting you since the begining of the new year. This email is comin=
g to you in regards to your fund that you have been unable to claim due to =
your lack of co-operation in the past. This organization has decided to mak=
e it know to you that the funds in your ATM been cleared into an screw acco=
unt and that you will be receiving your fund through the fastest means of m=
oney transfer in the world. Since you have not been able to claim you fund =
that has been with us for a very long time, we have to call back your ATM C=
ARD and make arrangement alternatively to transfer your fund instrumentally=
through Western Union Money Transfer here today which has been programmed =
to be transferred understatement at rate of $5,500 daily as Western Union l=
aws here does not allow transferring funds above $5,500 at once from this c=
ountry to another, but we will be sending under installment of $5,500 daily=
till the amount of $2.5 Million usd is completely Paid to you as the benef=
iciary of the ATM CARD in question. In other words, We have today transferr=
ed your first instalment payment ( $5,500) available for your pickup at any=
western union office nearest to you, but still on hold due to the unpaid e=
ndorsement & daily activation file fee amount of $250.00 that you are suppo=
sed to pay before your daily transfer will be made available to you. You wi=
ll pickup the bellow installment at any western union office nearest to you=
with bellow information's as soon as you submit the $250 endorsement & dai=
ly activation file fee. You can track your first instalment payment with th=
e Western Union tracking number 1-800-325-6000 or through the western union=
global website so as for you to know that the money is available for pick =
up (but will not be released to you without the activation fee of $250). Yo=
ur Payment Details MTCN:7881645629 SENDERS NAME...Christopher Udumaga SENDE=
RS COUNTRY... Johannesburg =96 South Africa TEXT QUESTION.... IN GOD TEXT A=
NS... WE TRUST AMOUNT... $5,500.00. The endorsement & daily activation file=
fee of $250 should be sent to our office here in care to our accounting of=
ficer through Western Union Money Transfer nearest to you or Money Gram. Yo=
u are to send the endorsement activation charges with the information below=
. Receivers Name: Joseph Olotewo Address: Johannesburg =96 South Africa Amo=
unt: $250 Text Question: Western. Answer: Union. As soon as you send the fe=
e, send us the transfer Mtcn/Reference # to help us proceed with immediate =
transfer activation of your first installment payment Notice: This preferen=
ce is being given to you to our good name and also to make sure we get your=
fund paid to you with no complication of things or delay. Note: the Activa=
tion Fees could not be deducted from the fund in the ATM CARD as we have no=
access to the fund due to the Fact that it was placed in an escrew account=
Please submit your Activation charges with the name of our accounting offi=
cer as given to you and get back to this office with details of your paymen=
t for further actions here. To avoid complication of things, you are advise=
to treat this payment as urgent as possible so we can proceed with the act=
ivation of your first installment so you can get it picked up in any neares=
t Western Union Money Transfer outlet near you on time to avoid any interne=
t scam hacking of the Mtcn that is given to you above. Treat As Urgent and =
get back to this office with receipt of your payment for fast procedures he=
re. Thanking you for your Anticipated Co-operations. Respectfully Yours. Mr=
. STeven Clayton. Payment Department Federal Ministry of Finance Inconjucti=
on with Western Union Office Motto: In God We Trust!!=20

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam