419 scam: Wayne Power <ecobankplc232@gmail.com> Greetings from western union office

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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)
- "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. )
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.
- western.uniontransfer1976@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Wayne Power <ecobankplc232@gmail.com>
Reply-To: western.uniontransfer1976@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2021 02:29:03 +0100
Subject: Greetings from western union office

IMF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)From the desk of Dr Wayne Power
Of Western union office,
Add: 8900 Westheimer Rd Cc119, Houston, TX 77063, United States
Contact Office Whats-sap + 44 74512 70288
Email: western.uniontransfer1976@hotmail.com

Hello Dear,

We refer to thirty- six (36) payments sent to our branch under the
instructions of the International Center for Settlement of Contracts &
Investments

Disputes (ICSID) which is a United Nations World Bank Assisted Project
to compensate 10 owed foreign contractors/scam victims with the sum of
US$3.5 Million

each through Western Union Services and your FUNDS is no more in
AFRICA for security reason and stop any further communication you have
in AFRICA,

Further to this, Your name was shortlisted and submitted to us as the
beneficiary to one of the payments under the above-mentioned
transaction references. We

have been trying to reach you on the phone to give you the MTCN and
the deposit slip all to no avail. However, Be informed that We have
concluded arrangement

to effect your payment through a daily Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN).

But the maximum amount you shall be receiving henceforth is $5,000
daily until the total funds is completely paid out to you.

Kindly contact Western Union Branch Agent with the below information
for the pick up details:

Contact Email: western.uniontransfer1976@hotmail.com,
Contact Office Whats-sap + 44 74512 70288

Make Sure you contact him with your Contract/Inheritance reference
number S076554920134392/AF298/WQM1/Z01 and your current contact
details such as;

1. Your Full Names:...
2. Your Cell Phone Number:..
3. Your Home Address:.....
4. Your Occupation:.........
5. Your Age and Sex:........
6. Your Nationality:..........

Although, a non-activated daily installment of 5,000.00 USD has been
inputted and sent to your name, so kindly contact Mr. Randy Webb and
tell him to give

you the MTCN, Sender Name, Question/Answer to pick the 5,000.00 USD.

Please let me know as soon as you have received it.

Thanks
From Dr Wayne Power
(IMF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam