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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

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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.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "from the desk of" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
  • "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
  • "(ecowas)" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "ecowas " (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
  • "lome togo" (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 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_office3@yahoo.com

Fraud email example:

From: Western union Information Centre <drmike_john_turey@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: <wu_office3@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:10:14 +0000
Subject: LETTER OF NOTIFICATION



WESTERN UNION BRANCH H/O GHANATEL/FAX: + (233) 27-577-9760WESTERN UNION LOME-TOGOMOBILE FAX: + (228) 920 3819EMAIL: wu_office3@yahoo.comWEBSITE: www.westernunion.com
HEAD OFFICE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER TOGO/GHANAFROM THE DESK OF INFORMATION DESKWESTERN UNION LOME - TOGO/ACCRA GHANA.
ATTENTION:
LETTER OF NOTIFICATION Consequence to meeting held last week with the Auditor General of Western Union, I have been mandated to reach all foreigners customers trading within Ghana and Togo and someother part of africa region , whose funds are pending in the western Union system and have been unable to get the correct MTCNs, should contact the Chief Controller General of the western Union Office in Lome Togo .

We are here to inform you all, that your fundspending in the Western Union are to be released without any delay.

However, In my list, it is recorded that you are number 3, so i have been mandated contact you for the immediate released of your funds.

Nevertheless,as soon as you receive this mail , you are advise to contact me for moredetails,on how to get your MTCNs. You can reach me on this email [wu_office3@yahoo.com]. As soon as you have received this message.

For your information, your FUNDS which is to be released to you in Total, is the sum of US$1,550,000.00 , and you have US$4,500 on each MTCN, which amounted to 48 MTCN control Numbers.

I after then i tried to find out what is the cause of this often appearance of such funds in the system, it was then I knew that your funds has been withheld by the Fianacial Control Authority of the Economic Committee of the West African States (ECOWAS) I contacted the ECOWAS office here in Lome Togo, I was then referred to the International Head Quarters Accra Ghana.

My duties are to clear the transfer of all funds that has been stocked in the BTCI Western Union nation wide.

I can do nothing until the ECOWAS PERMIT is Approved for your Funds to be release to you, and it is not going to take more than 2 hours to release the MTCN to you for you to receive your funds in your desired destination.

Please, remember to come up with 5 to 10 names or a secured Bank Account to release and transfer your funds to, after you have acquired the ECOWAS PERMIT/APPROVAL.

You should act fast upon the receipt of this message, so that we can get everything done as soon as possible.

You should endeavor to send on time and you receive on time. Your Cooperation is Highly Needed.

WESTERN UNION INFORMATION CENTRE.LOME TOGO
_________________________________________________________________
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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam