419 scam: "WESTERN UNION TRANSFER"<wsternunion.office@westernunion.com> WESTERN UNION TRANSFER URGENT REPLY

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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.
- +22998402411 (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.
- wsternunion.office@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION TRANSFER" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wsternunion.office@accountant.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2013 09:38:50 -0400
Subject: WESTERN UNION TRANSFER URGENT REPLY

Hello my dear friend,
THIS MAIL IS ONLY FOR THE OWNER OF THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS:
Below is the information of your first payments $5000.00 Dollars sent to you today.
But unfortunately, the managing Director of this department called us this
morning and reported that you have not paid the required fee $220.USD which you are
supposed to pay earlier for the purchasing and updating of your transfer files
but we have already sent out the payment out but not yet been putting on your
name as the receiver. You will be receiving $5000.00 daily until your total amount
of funds $3.5 USD is fully paid to you.

Since you are finding it difficult to get the $220.USD we have decided that you are
to go ahead and pay whatever you have out of the total fee $220.USD required, But
mind you, no amount below $124.USD will be accepted so we expect you to pay whatever
amount from $124.USD and above. You are to pay what ever you have and we will
activate your mtcn number and direct the transfer to your name as the receiver.

Send it to this information below:

1. Receiver Name :=======Lawrence Chikwado Ugugua
2. City/Country:========== Cotonou - Benin Republic .
3. Question=============Honest?
4. Answer:=============Trust.
5. Amount:=============$124.USD.only
6.MTCN =================

Please any amount you send let us know but remember, any amount below $124.USD will
not be accepted. Send us the payment information's immediately after you send
it.

HERE IS THE MONEY DETAILS MADE TO YOU!!!

MTCN: 7056686652 Sent!!!
Sender’s First Name: Tony
Sender’s Last Name: Morba
Test Question: Color
Answer: Blue
Amount: $5000.00

Don’t expose this numbers to anybody else. If you need to check the transfer
online to see that the money is posted online for you:
https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=BJ
Note that the money detail given to you does not bear your name as the receiver
yet. As soon as we receive the fee from you, we will immediately activate your
mtcn# and put your name as the receiver. Please take note; you need to go along
with your passport ID or Drivers license when you need to pick up the transfer
okay.

We look forward hearing from you.
Contact me with this Email (wsternunion.office@accountant.com)
+229 98402411
REGARDS,
Mr. Matthias C Brown the MDG
WESTERN UNION BENIN -TRANSFER AGENT

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam