419 scam: <westernu@info.al> Western Union--Step into a World of Opportunity;

joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days

Home

About Us

Spam

419/Nigeria

Fraud

Contact

"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:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
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: <westernu@info.al>
Reply-To: Array: ;
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:52:13 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Western Union--Step into a World of Opportunity;

P {
MARGIN: 0px
}
UL {
MARGIN-TOP: 5px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px
}
OL {
MARGIN-TOP: 5px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px
}

10 BP 1077 Boulevard
Catchi

Tel/fax: 00 229 6627
8781

I was trying to
reach you on phone but all my attempts was on no avail due to
network.

This is an official notice to you regarding your US$2.5 Million
which was gazetted to be paid through Western Union Payment system; right now
the West African government has instructed all the financial institutions in
West Africa to return any unclaimed funds/payment within 7days; and your payment
may be cancelled after this 7days official notice. However, at western union
money transfer, we are committed to helping people and businesses by providing
affordable, reliable and convenient payment services. Therefore we have decided
to notify you on this development, what is required now to complete your payment
is $182 only and we will complete the rest and proceed the transfer on the
following day.

I am commited to keep wash over your funds transfer and
the Regional Director of all the Western Union branches in West Africa and it of
good pleasure to serve our customers the best we could. So in this regards, I
will like you to co-operate with me to retrieve this legal payment of yours
than allowing the government of this country to forfeit it. I believe it is a
life time opportunity which every reasonable human-being will never allow to
slip by. Be rest assured that upon receipt of this $310 today, you will the
first payment of US$10.000 first thing on tomorrow morning. Be rest assured that
every procedure to be followed up in this project is legal,

Holly, bear it in
mind that as long as you are ready to follow my instructions as the insider and
initiator of these transaction scheme, then you have nothing to worry about
because this transaction was conceptualized with a lot of consideration given to
the laws guiding Western Union here in West Africa and international level. So,
all I want you to know in ths transfer is that you suppose to have confidence in
me and commit your TIME, EFFORT and SINCERITY to receive your funds while I
would feed you with the necessary details needed to ensure your claim goes out
smoothly this time without any further hitch. On this note, I want to re-assure
you once more that the procedure to be adopted in processing and effecting the
transfer is fully official and legallly adopted correctly.

We are an
international money transfer with high-performance and trusted by consumers
across the World.

Thank you so much
for your anticipated compliance and apopreciation to my efforts so far as I wait
on hearing from you today with the Western Union MTCN proff of
payment.

The US$310 should be paid through Western
Union as stated below.
1. RECEIVER NAME:............ Mr. Khalid
FELLAHI
2. COUNTRY:..........                 Benin
3.
CITY:.........                           Contonu
4. TEST
QUESTION:................... Honest
5. TEST ANSWER:......
Trust.
6. AMOUNT:...................              $182 USD

I look forward to the
pleasure of your kind favourable response fairly soon, in the meantime with
kindest regards and best wishes.

Yours
faithfully,
Mr. Khalid
FELLAHI
Regional Vice
President Africa
Step into a World of Opportunity; Take Your Career
to Western Union Money Transfer;

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam