419 scam: WESTERN UNION CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
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 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.
- draw1026.2015@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION
Reply-To: <draw1026.2015@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2015 16:38:52 -0500
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

>From the Desk of Dr.Philip T. Moore
Federal Ministry of Finance Uk Manchester.
Foreign Payment Office.
ADD: 108 St Mitcheal Street
Manchester, Lancashire United Kingdom.

I/We wish you Marry Christmas and happy new year to you and your family!!!

Hello.....

The federal ministry of finance wishes to notify you of your overdue payment. After the meeting held on Dec.21st 2015, Her Excellency the BRITISH GOVERNMENT OF UNITED KINGDOM, has instructed this department to send your funds to you through western union money transfer for quick collection of your funds installment payment without any further delay to avoid and safeguard such beneficiaries from dealing with the fraudsters.

You are required to forward your name and address where you want your funds to be send through western union money transfer, and the maximum amount the western union money transfer will send to you per day starting from tomorrow is $10,000 dollars.

Also you are required to send the sum of $230 dollars only for the renewing and re-confirmation of your payment file that was deposited in this office for your payment. Fill the form below and forward it to the western union paying agent together with the requested $230 dollars immediately

Your Receiverâ€™s name__________________
Your country__________________________
your city_____________________________
_____________________
Telephone____________________________

Contact the western union paying agent for quick payment with this below information's:
Contact Person: MRS. CATHERINE HOOVER
EMAIL: draw1026.2015@gmail.com

As soon as the western union money transfer confirms receipt of $230 dollars from you today for the renewing and re-confirmation of your payment file you will start receiving your funds as from tomorrow morning.

Send this $230 dollars through any western union office nearest to you using the name and address below:

Receiver name ---------- Mr. Michael smith
Address-------------------: Manchester UK
MTCNâ€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦?
Test Question--------------- In God
Test Answer-----------------We trust
Amount------------------------$230 only.
Senders Name & Address:...............................

The western union agent is waiting to receive your payment information today to enable them update your name for subsequent payments, and please for your earlier information if you are not among the beneficiaries do not send any money to the western union paying agent, but if you are among the beneficiaries who receive this message you go ahead and send this $230 dollars, and you start receiving $10,000 dollars per day through Western union money transfer.

Go ahead and send the fee To Michael smith and forawrd your payment to western union paying agent MRS. CATHERINE HOOVER immdeiately, and inform him that you just sent him the requested $230 dollars for the renewing and re-confirmation of your payment file.(draw1026.2015@gmail.com)

Yours sincerely,
yours in service
Dr.. William. Bright
Payments logistics Director
Federal ministry of finance.
You can only reach me via my confidential email as follows: draw1026.2015@gmail.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam