419 scam: "Western Union region/United Nations."<wu.drmikelnku@gmail.com> Attention Customer,!!

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- +22967871855 (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.
- wu.drmikenku@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Western Union region/United Nations." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <wu.drmikenku@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2015 10:47:09 -0000
Subject: Attention Customer,!!

Attention Customer,

We wish to inform you that the United Nations Organization (UN) has taking over the Inheritance/contract payment issue in which you presently have with your transaction agents. Your funds was withdrawn by UN on your behalf based on the fact that you where subjected to too many process that will make you spend more money before receiving your funds. Your Inheritance/Winning payment was paid out to the United Nations Organization, and they have succeeded in depositing your funds with us.

They have ordered Western Union Money Transfer to take full responsibility in the transfer process of your funds, and we have received your application for the first installment of $5,000USD from the total amount of $1,320,000.00 USD,One Million three Hundred and twenty thousand United States Dollars.

Below is your first installment payment that was sent today for you to pick up:

Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N): 1047395860
Senders First Name: Sylvester
Senders Last Name: iheachor
Question: In God
Answer: We trust
Amount Sent: $5000

And to prove this right to you, your first installment payment of $5,000.00 (Five Thousand United State Dollars) has been sent. We would require that you click on the link (https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=CN) and follow required, enter the MTCN control number as well as the sender first name and sender last name.

Note: You cannot pick up the funds yet because our commission / transfer charges has not been paid to us, for this simple reason your name has not yet been activated as the receiver of the funds. All that is required of you now before receiving your first installment payment is to proceed to the nearest Western Union Money Transfer outlet and then request to send $98 USD to us through the western union money transfer Foreign Operations Manager Tina Akala with the below information's:

1. Receivers Name: Tina Akala
2. Receivers Address: Cotonou , Benin Rep.
3. Amount: $98 USD.
4. Question: my.
5. Answer: God.

Your first installment will be released after (2) hours and shall be made payable to you after we received the transfer charges for the $5,000.00 Five Thousand United State Dollars we have just sent to you. And for each $5,000.00 USD transferred to you, you will only have to pay the $98 USD before collection. Please not that we cannot deduct the transfer charges from your funds because we were not authorized by UN to do so. Your complete $1,320,000.00USD was deposited to us by the Attorney to the United Nations Organization, and the funds must reach you in its fullest.

Please proceed with the above payment instructions fill in the under listed details for confirmation:

1. Sender Names: ?
2. Sender Address: ?
3. Amount Sent: ?
4. Money Transfer Control Number: ?

We await your activation fee today, so you can start receiving your installment payment as from today. You can also send us a scan copy of the payment slip.

Yours truly,

Dr. Mike Nku
Western Union Payment Officer
Direct Line: +229 6787 1855
E-mail: wu.drmikenku@gmail.com
Western Union region/United Nations.
Copyright © 2013 Western Union. All Rights Réserve

N:B

Ensure all correspondence goes through my email: wu.drmikenku@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam