419 scam: "Western Union Transfer"<chiefjugesuliman@yahoo.fr> Attention: Please / This Is From Western Union Office(R)

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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. )
- ",500,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
- "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.
- +22998486013 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Western Union Transfer" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <transferwesternunion346@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 5 May 2015 22:20:02 -0700
Subject: Attention: Please / This Is From Western Union Office(R)

Attention: Please

My Name is Mr. Mark E. James, I am the new elected director general of Western Union Money Transfer Department, i have been chosen last TWO month being March 17 and I saw your name in our payment file Saturday noon during my searching for those beneficiary who has not yet receive their fund valued large which supposes to be transferring at the rate of $5,000.00 per day during the former manager regime, the reason i am emailing you today is to inform you that the former Western Union managing director has been sacked out since last Month due to his illegal work ungodly act, i am here to inform you that the only thing that will lead you to receive your fund is by trusting me and follow my direction because you have sent a lot of money to the former director in order to get your fund which fails.

Therefore I am to tell you that the reason you did not receive your fund is because he did not follow the right way to transfer your fund to you but to extorting money from you in various quarters. due to the former manager's attitude we therefore resolve to sacked him out since he didn't keep our instruction, now we have arranged to pay you because all our investigated confirmed that you are the right person to receive this fund, according to the instruction passed to this Western Union department by the (Federal High Court Services) this will duly guarantee and cover your money as being legitimately acquired
from the Benin government.

So i want you to know that your fund is in our data system which worth the total sum of $3,500,000.00 (THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS), but it will release immediately to you with the rate of $5,000.00 usd par daily as soon as you obtain (Fund Release Order Certificates) according to our messenger which went to the Federal high court services office Benin republic for the release order certificates, he told us that it will cost you the sum of $58.00 only to obtain the said document, he also told us that they will issue the certificate within 2 hours once the fee is paid.

One more THING you should reconfirm to us your full address here you will prefer the transfer to be made to, and also together with the payment information of the $58 dollars to obtain the fund Release Order Certificates as soon as you received this message,

Payment should send via western Union Money Transfer Office or possible Money with exactly info below;

Receiver name:.............. ANTHONY OBIORAHGA
Country:......................Benin Republic
Location ...............Cotonou
Question........................God
Answer:......................With Us
Amount:................US$58.00 Dollars

I am here giving your guarantee and also 100 % percent assurance that this is the only money you will pay and after that you will receive your fund immediately.

I will be waiting right here to have the payment information in order to obtain this needed certificate as soon as urgent,
Regards,

Sincerely,
Mr. Mark E. James
tel: +229-9848 6013
Western® Union Transfer Dep.,
Head office Benin republic.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam