419 scam: Western Union Office <"www."@tea.ocn.ne.jp> Attention My Dear:

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:

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. )
- "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.
- +22962929587 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Western Union Office <"www."@tea.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: Western Union Office <wsternnion@cash4u.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 07:03:38 +0900 (JST)
Subject: Attention My Dear:

Attention My Dear:

This is to inform you that the America Embassy office was instructed to transfer your fund $2.5 Million U.S Dollars compensating all the SCAM VICTIMS and your email was found as one of the VICTIMS. by America security leading team and America representative officers so between today until 28th Of December 2017 you will be receiving the sum of $5000 dollars per day. However be informed that we have already sent the $5,000 dollars this morning to avoid cancellation of your payment, remain the total sum of $2.5 Million.

Here is the information$B!G(Bs of the $5,000.00 your first payment we release to you below, but is on hold to the International Monetary Fund ask us to place it on hold due to (International Monetary Fund) required the (activation fee $65) which will cost you $65.

Here is the information of the $5,000.00 your first payment we release to you below, but you can not pick it up until you send the sum of $65 for the (activation fee $65)but you cant pick it till you pay the fee to obtain the (Activation fee $65) and you have to reconfirm your Full Name and your Address with your Phone number so that I will activation on your name for you to pick it up and if you check it now its available to pick up

Track it to see it$B!G(Bs available to pick up. https://www.westernunion.com/us/en/self-service/app/tracktransfer

1)Senders Name:: James Larry
2)MTCN Number::: 969-048-7549
3)Amount::: $5000.00 USD.
4)Test Question: Color
5)Answer: Blue
6)Amount: $5000.00

The minister administrator trust fund said that nobody has legal right over your fund therefore we can$B!G(Bt be able to deduct any amount from the arranged fund, because is against our law and regulation that is the reason why you must send the fee $65 to enable the (IMF) Office (International Monetary Fund place the sent $5,000.00 to your name because the money Is not place in your name yet that is why you can$B!G(Bt be able to pick the sent $5,000.00 right now.

So kindly send the $65 to below name through Western Union Money Transfer;

Receiver's Name: Lucky Adam
Country:Benin Republic
City:Cotonou
Amount:$65

Regards
General Director Office Western Union money transfer
(wsternnion@cash4u.com)
Thanks Dr. James Larry
Tell +229 62 92 95 87

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam