419 scam: "Western Union Department"<fundrelease5@gmail.com> WESTERN UNION MONEY SENT TRANSFER

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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:
- "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "clearance 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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "clearance certificate" (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.
- ecobankwesternunion43@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Western Union Department" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ecobankwesternunion43@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2017 16:52:14 -0800
Subject: WESTERN UNION MONEY SENT TRANSFER

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR
WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
MANVEL TEXAS USA
WEBSITE; www.westernunion.com
CUSTOMER CARE:
+1509-203-4727
ecobankwesternunion43@gmail.com

DEAR VALUED CUSTOMER,

AS MATTER OF URGENT WE ARE CALLING ON YOUR URGENT ATTENTION CONCERN YOUR FUNDS, PLEASE DO THE BEST YOU CAN TO GET US THE
REQUIRED FEE OF $295.00. THIS IS BECAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF) HAVE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THE PAYMENT FILE
BACK IF ANY BENEFICIARY HAS FAILED TO CLAIM HIM OR HER FUNDS WITHIN 72 HOURS. WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO ASK THEM TO HAVE
PATIENTS WITH YOU TILL YOUR GIVE DATE BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND .

WE ARE THE ONE HOLDING THEM FOR VERY LONG TIME .THIS IS THE INSTRUCTION ALERT WE RECEIVED TODAY.
NOTE; WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY THE IMF TO RETURN THE PAYMENT FILE WITHIN 72 HOURS IF THE BENEFICIARY DID NOT COMPLY TO CLAIM
HIS/HER FUNDS. WE ARE NOW CALLING ON YOUR URGENT ATTENTION TO RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL ONCE YOU RECEIVE IT AND DO THE BEST YOU
CAN TO SEND REPLY TOGETHER WITH PAYMENT INFORMATION OF THE NEEDED $295.00 SO THAT YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT TO
AVOID THE IMF BEEN TAKEN THE FUNDS BACK IN NEXT 72 HOURS.

HOWEVER, YOU ARE ADVISED TO GO AHEAD AND SEND THE HOME LAND SECURITY CLEARANCE FEE OF $295.00 VIA WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM SO THAT WE
WILL ASSIST YOU AND OBTAIN THE CERTIFICATE FROM THE CONCERNED OFFICE, BECEUSE THAT IS THE ONLY THING HOLDING YOUR FUNDS OKAY.

HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO SEND THE $295.00.
1. RECEIVER NANE :=====MARK HENLEY
2. ADDRESS:====== 6821 DOGWOOD MANVEL TEXAS 77578 USA
3. QUESTION :========== WHEN
4. ANSWER :============ TODAY
5. AMONUT:============ US$295.00

COMPLETE THE BELOW INFORMATION AFTER SENDING THE $295.00
1. MTCN:=======
2. SENDER NAME:======
3. SENDER COUNTRY:======

DO SEND US THE MTCN NUMBERS AND ABOVE INFORMATIONS AS SOON AS YOU MADE THE PAYMENT. IF YOU CAN SEND THE FEE TODAY, YOU WILL
PICK UP THE FIRST PAYMENT AND WE WILL SEND YOU ANOTHER $5000.00 TODAY AS THE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE IS THE ONLY THING HOLDING
THE TRANSFER.

YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT IN NEXT 2 HOURS OF RECEIVING SAID FEE FROM YOU. WE ARE ADVISING YOU TO DO THE BEST YOU
CAN AND GET US THE SAID MONEY TODAY AND YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT IN 2 HOURS OF SENDING THE FEE TO US. MEANWHILE
WE ADVISE TO SEND US YOUR DIRECT PHONE NUMBER FOR FAST UPDATE ONCE WE MADE YOUR PAYMENT.

THE INFORMATION OF THE PAYMENT WE MADE TODAY IS ENCLOSED.
Sender first name: JAMES
Sender last name: GUIDRY
MTCN Reference number: 776-792-7664
Country:::::USA TEXAS
Amount send: $5,000.00USD
Test Question: THANK
Test Answer: YOU

FOR SELF-CONFIRMATION, CLICK ON THIS LINK https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global AFTER FILLING THE
INFORMATION, CLICK CHECK STATUS. NOTE THAT IF YOU TRACK THIS INFORMATION, THE STATUS WILL TELL YOU THAT THE FUNDS IS "
Available for pick up by receiver" BUT YOU CAN NOT PICK UP THIS MONEY UNTIL THE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE IS OBTAINED.

THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER, TEXAS USA HEAD OFFICE. DISPATCHED THIS DAY. FOR INQUIRY, CALL +1509-203-4727

SINCERELY,
REV. DR ADAMS JEFF
+1509-203-4727
Western Union® Money Transfer,
Head Office Texas usa
Western Union®
Send Money Worldwide

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam