419 scam: Western Union Payment Center <office--------fi20@att.net> (011887)

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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:
- "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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "hundred thousand united state dollars" (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)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- westernu734@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: Western Union Payment Center <office--------fi20@att.net>
Reply-To: westernu734@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:23:12 -0800 (PST)
Subject: (011887)

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

WESTERN UNION MONEY
TRANSFER
Address: No. 5
Western Avenue Cotonou,
West Africa, Republic Du'
Benin
Tel:
(+229) 99 488
370

Dear:
Customer,

Information reaching us from our corporate
headquarters here in Porto - Novo, the capital state of Benin Republic, states
that you only have 48hours to effect your payment for the updating of your mtcn#
number to enable you cash up your first $4000 from your total fund of
( one million five hundred thousand united state dollars) since you are finding
it difficult to make this payment we have decided that you are to go ahead and
pay whatever you have out of the total fee of $200 required for the updating
fee since you are not able to come up with the required charge. But mind you, no
amount below $50 will be accepted so we expect you to pay whatever amount from
$50 and above. You are to pay what ever you have for the updating fee and we
will activate your mtcn# number upon receipt of this payment.
Be informed that you will have to pay the balance fee of your updating
upon cashing up of your first $4000 also i am using this medium to inform you
that failure to pay the balance charge will leave us with no option but to
deactivate your mtcn# number of which you will and can never cash up the balance
fee, i want you to send the updating and activation fee with the information
bellow.

Receiver:

Obadi
Marcel

Country:

Cotonou / Benin
Republic

Text Question: When
?

Answer: Now

AMOUNT SENT:

Please any amount you send let us know but
remember what so ever amount below $50 will not be accepted. You can send us the
payment informations immediately you send the money. Immediately we confirm the
activation fee we will send you the first receipt of your $4000 at the same day.
Regards Mr. Mike
Eze from western union money transfer office
Porto-Novo Benin Republic.

You are entitle to
receive your payment today if you do send the money today as well. And please
use the code: (011887) to indicate this very office the code is given to you and
used as the subject of the message to you. Any message you receive claiming to
have any of transfer to you without this very identifying code, bewear the mail
is not from us and we don't mind if you forward this across to us for more
verification.

We are waiting to hear from you today with the fee to enable this
department to release your payment immediately.

Look forward for your
anticipated response.

Best
Regards;
Mr. Mike
Eze. Transfer
Agent
Email(westernu734@gmail.com)
Tel: (+229) 99 488
370
WESTERN UNION MONEY
TRANSFER

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam