419 scam: WESTERN UNION <tfdepartmentng@9.cn> REV JOHNSON OBI LORD

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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:
- "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. )
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "my direct line" (a "direct line" in a scam usually means an untraceable mobile phone number used by a scammer in an internet cafe, a redirection service number that forwards to a mobile or a free voicemailbox in a different country.)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.
- +22998123964 (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.union983@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION <tfdepartmentng@9.cn>
Reply-To: wu.union983@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:41:04 +0900 (KST)
Subject: REV JOHNSON OBI LORD

FROM MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

OFFICE OF THE WESTERN
UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/
ADDRESS 69
AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD
OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU.

Attention.
The
Board of federal
ministery of finance (FMF) Benin Republic are hereby
to notify you of your
payment inherited funds of $800,000.00. Which was
Approved After the
meeting held on 27th A 2011.

His
Excellency the PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN
(DR YAYI BONI )
has Instructed this Department to send your funds
through western union
money transfer for easy receive of your inherited
funds without any
further delay to avoid paying money to the fraud sters
that is going on
through Courier Company.

The
maximium amount you
will be receiving per a day starting from today is
$6000) Also your are
required by federal ministery of finance (FMF)
Benin Republic to send
us the sum of $78.00 dollar for Re-newing and
Re-comfirming Of your
file that was deposited in this office , as you
can see
below.

Our
accountant officer sent your first payment of $6000
today,but it is on
hold by federal ministery of finance (FMF) Benin
Republic , and
according to Mrs Linda Udember secretary to federal
ministery of
finance (FMF) Benin ,he told me that you can not pick
up the $5000 now
,because it is onhold , unless you pay the $78 to
Renew and Recomfirm
your files of your $800.000.00 , Below is the payment
information of
your first payment :

Senders Name :Solomo
John
MTCN..   0950869918
Text Question :
Food
Answer
:... Food
Amount:..$6000

You can track it by
typing : www.westernunion.com and click tracking then you enter this
MTCN :
(0950869918 ) and sender name: Solomo and last name:
John.

Note
immediately we comfirm this $78 for Renew and
Recomfirm your files of
your total $800,000.00,you first payment of $6000 will
be release to you
with out any other delay ,
So
be advise you to try
as much as you can send the $78 today to enable
us proceeds on this
your transaction And your $6000, will release to
your immediately And
you will begining received your payment

Note below is
infomation to send the money through western union money transfer ,

RECEIVE NAME====Chukwuemeka Marcel
Country; Benin
Republic
City;    Cotonou
Text Question;   How
Much?
Answer;              $78.00)
Sender's
Name........
MTCN..........................

We a wait to receive
the western union money transfer payment informations today or you can call my
direct line on +229-98123964
E-MAIL ADDRESS( wu.union983@gmail.com )
REV JOHNSON OBI LORD
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam