419 scam: WESTERN UNION PAYMENT CENTER <ifechukwumaxwell@yahoo.fr> Re: Pick up your $6000.00usd immediately. Call +229-9898338661

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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:
- "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. )
- "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.
- +22998338661 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION PAYMENT CENTER <ifechukwumaxwell@yahoo.fr>
Reply-To: WESTERN UNION PAYMENT CENTER <westnunion@yandex.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2015 12:49:15 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: Pick up your $6000.00usd immediately. Call +229-9898338661

Address: No. 51Â Avakpa, Western Union Cotonou, BeninOffice Telephone:+22998585994Â +229.65-66-7373.
Urgent Attention:
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AS MATTER OF URGENT WE ARE CALLING ON YOUR URGENT ATTENTION CONCERNING YOUR FUNDS, PLEASE DO THE BEST YOU CAN TO GET US THE REQUIRED FEE OF $48 THIS IS BECAUSE THEÂ INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)Â HAVEÂ INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THE PAYMENT FILE BACK IF ANY BENEFICIARY HAS FAILED TO CLAIM HIS OR HER FUNDS WITHIN 48 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 THEÂ ONE Â HOLDING THEM FOR VERY LONG TIME .THIS IS THE INSTRUCTION ALERT WE RECEIVED TODAY.
Â
NOTE; WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY THE IMF TO RETURN THE PAYMENT FILE WITHIN 48 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 $48 SO THAT YOU WILL START RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT TO AVOID THE IMF BEEN TAKEN THE FUNDS BACK IN NEXT 48 HOURS.
Â
HOWEVER, YOU ARE ADVISED TO GO AHEAD AND SEND THEÂ HOME LANDÂ SECURITY CLEARANCE FEE OF $48 VIA WESTERN UNION ORÂ MONEY GRAMÂ SO THAT WE WILL ASSIST YOU AND OBTAIN THE CERTIFICATE FROM THE CONCERNED OFFICE, BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY THING HOLDING YOUR FUNDS OKAY.Â HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU WILL USE TO SEND THE MONEY.
Â 1. Receiver name/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mr. PIUS ONUORA
2. Country/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Republic of Benin3. City/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Contonu
4. Test question/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â How is the Church
5. Test answer/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Excellent
6. Amount/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â $48.00 USDÂ MTCN:......................................SENDER NAME:.........................Â
DO SEND US THE MTCN NUMBERS 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 ANOTHERÂ $6,000Â TODAY AS THE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE IS THE ONLY THING HOLDING THEÂ 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.
Â THE INFORMATION OF THEÂ PAYMENT WE MADE TODAY IS ENCLOSED.

|
| Sender Name | Deina Walsh |
| Â | Â |
|
| Â |
| M.T.C.N number | 4417478900 |
| Amount send | $6,000Â USD |
| Â | Â |
| Test Question | Payment |
| TestÂ Answer | Made |
|
| Â |
| Sender's First Name | DeinaÂ |
| Sender's Last Name | Walsh |
| Â | Â |

|

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

THE MANAGEMENT OFÂ WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER, BENIN REPUBLIC HEAD OFFICE.Â DISPATCHED THIS DAY. FOR INQUIRY, CALLÂ +229-98-338-661Â SINCERELY,MR.JOHN DAVID+229-65-66-7373Western UnionÂ® Money Transfer,Head OfficeÂ BeninÂ Republic.Western UnionÂ®Send Money WorldwideWith Western Union Money Transfer service, Money transfer is performed in 15-20 minutes and bank account is not required. We only transfer viaÂ Western Union, noÂ Bank Wire Transfer.HomeÂ |Â Find Agent LocationÂ |Â CopyrightÂ |Â Intellectual PropertyÂ |Â
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