419 scam: Western Union <james_ac143@yahoo.com.ph> INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE

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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:
- "money laundering" ("anti-terrorist", "anti-money laundering" or "drug-free" certificates are a common way for criminals in fake lottery scams and other Advance Fee scams to get you to send money to them. There are no such certificates in the real banking world. )
- "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. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "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 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.
- westernunio@hotmail.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Western Union <james_ac143@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: westernunio@hotmail.fr
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 19:20:11 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE


      INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE ORGANIZATION
        (INTERPOL)

                                      (INTERPOL)
RC-32657,                    HEATTHROW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMMAND,
                                               LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM

                               Telephone: +44 70457 5348

                                                         Fax: +44 70457 36

ATTENTION/ BENEFICIARY

This is to formally notify you that our agents working at the Heathrow International Airport,here in London,a few hours ago intercepted a Package been registered and shipped under shipping bill of WESTERN UNION OR U.P.S COMPANY, ETC,REPUBLIC,to you at This Package was declared as Document  but was X-rayed and discovered to contain a valued draft of US$2.500..000.00 (Two million five Hundred Thousand Dollars),without proper Interpol Clearance from the originating country,Benin Republic..

You are adviced to act fast to provide the needed Interpol Clearance from the originating country within 3 days from today.Other wise,your consignment will be taken to Scotland Yard,and an International warrant of arrest issued against you through Scotland Yard for us to execute with the co-operation of Interpol in untied states of America  you will be charged with money laundering,and concealment with intention of a terrorist activity against your country   .Failure to provide the needed clearance is an admission of guilt to the Money Laundering charge.Your package will be released to you if the clearance is provided.

The clearance is a proof that the draft and the fund in it is not meant for the wrong reason like Money Laundering,and Terrorism. All you have to do now is to get in touch with our regional office in Benin with the information below and ask them on what you need to do for the clearance to be issued.

Interpol Regional Office Benin

Officer In Charge : Supp. Michael Deen

YOU HAVE ONLY 72HOURS TO SEND THE REQUESTED FEETO CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT IN FEDIRAIL REPUBIC OF BENIN WITH THE ABOVE INFORMATION

RECIEVER NAME......EDWIN IZUOBA.
COUNTRY...............BENIN REPUBLIC
CODE...............................00229
CITY...............................COTONOU
QEUSTION.......................JUSTICE
ANSWER..........................001
AMOUNT...................$79.00 USD.

ONCE YOU SEND THE REQUESTED FEE , REMEMBER TO FOWARD TO THEM THE M.T.C.N NUMBER, SENDER NAME, AND THE AMOUNT YOU SENT ANY LITTLE DELAY MAY COST YOU ON EXPECTED CHARGES AND REACTION FROM US.
SO GO AND SEND TO THEM THE FEE IMMEDIATLY.

Get in touch with them and they will tell you what to do for the clearance to be issued,so that we can release your Package to you.This must be done before the expiration of the 3-day period.

Thanks,

SUPP.FRED SCHWARTZ
HEATHROW AIRPORT INTERPOL COMMAND
LONDON   EMAIL ( westernunio@hotmail.fr) +44 70457 369

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam