419 scam: WESTERN UNION PROMO <info.effegooffice1@gmail.com> MTCN: 7291534785/ READY TO PICKUP.

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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:
- "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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
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.

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION PROMO <info.effegooffice1@gmail.com>
Reply-To: info.westernuniongoldcard01@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 15:54:26 +0100 (BST)
Subject: MTCN: 7291534785/ READY TO PICKUP.

To The Attention Of
Beneficiary.

Dear Sir /
Madam,

This is to bring to the notice of all our
customers For 156 years, Western Union has been connecting people. At Western
Union , there's so much more than ac money you're sending. Every sender and
receiver is important to us. To celebrate our 156th Anniversary Switzerland ,
we're rewarding our customers with prizes of USD 75,000.00
Because you sent money on-line, from an agent
location or received money through Western Union , you've been selected.
However, you are required to forward the
following information for immediate payment of your USD
75,000.00

1.) Country:
2.) Beneficiary:
3.) Your
Mobile Telephone Number:
4.) Your AGE:
5.) Your
Sex:
6.) Home Address:

You will be contacted by a Western Union in
the next 24 hours as soon
as you forward your required information and you
will receive the USD
75,000.00 prizes immediately from us. and this is your
first payment of $5,000. Below Is the information for your first
payment of $5,000(Five Thousand Usd)

SENDER'S NAME === OBUKA MICHAEL
MTCN====
7291534785
TEST QUESTION======== WHEN
ANSWER: ============ TODAY

AMOUNT======== == = $5,000.00 USD ONLY

All that is required of you now
before receiving your first installment payment is to proceed to the nearest
Western Union Money Transfer outlet and then request to send $75.00 Usd (seventy
Fifty United State Dollars) to us through the western union money transfer
Foreign Operations Manager Mr. Onyekachi James with the below information's.

1. Receivers Name: Onyekachi
James
2. State: Portnovo.
3. Country: Benin Republic.
4. Amount: $75.00
Usd.
5. Test Question: Best Coulor ?
6. Test Answer: White.

Your
first installment will be released after (2) hours and shall be made payable to
you after we received the transfer charges for the $75.00 Usd (seventy Fifty
United State Dollars) transferred, you will only have to pay the $75.00 Usd
before collection. Please proceed with the above payment instructions fill in
the underlisted details for confirmation:

Senders Name: ?
Receivers
Name: ?
Amount sent: ?
MTCN (10 Digit Number): ?

We awaits your
activation fee so you can start receiving your instalment payment as from
today.

Yours truly,

Dr. Williams Morgan

For Western union payment
Service.

Available at Brookshire's locations, Western
Union is a convenient way to send money fast. It's
easy, reliable and you have a choice of great
options.

Use the right
money transfer service for you to get money there fast, nationwide and
worldwide. Western Union® As we focus on making a difference in people's
lives, people focus on Western Union<
/strong> and acknowledge the possibilities we offer to those we
serve.

Save time, send
money, earn rewards! Western Union is a service people trust.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam