419 scam: "WESTERN UNION" <johnrace@eolii.com> ATTN, BENEFICIARY

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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:
- "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.
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.
- +22996959516 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION" <johnrace@eolii.com>
Reply-To: <weste2rnunon@postafiok.hu>
Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2011 00:57:14 +0100
Subject: ATTN, BENEFICIARY

ATTN, BENEFICIARY,

To The Owner of This E-mail, How are you today, I write to inform you that we
Have already sent you $5000.00 USD through Western union as we have been
Given the mandate to transfer your full compensation payment total sum of
$1.5million USD.via western union by this government.

I was calling your telephone number to give you the information through phone
but you did not pick up my calls throughout that yesterday even this morning. Now,
I decided to email you the MTCN and sender name so that you will pick up this
USD5000.00 to enable us send another USD5000.00 today as you know we will be
Sending you only USD5000.00 per day.

Meanwhile we will want you to reconfirm this information to us.
Full names: ______
TEL__________
TEST QUESTION______
ANSWER_____________
Address:______________
Country:____
City :________
Zip Code:________
Sex: _________
Age: ______
Marital status: ________
Occupation/Position: ____
Scann copy of any of your identification:________
Tel/House /private: __________
I Mr/Mrs._______ hereby declared that, all the above information produced by me are true

Please pick up this information and run to western union to pick up the
USD5000.00 and call me back to send you another payment today,

Western Union Contact person
Hon. Sir WEST JOHN
Office EMAIL:(weste2rnunon@postafiok.hu)
Phone Number / CONTACT PHONE LINE IS +229-96959516 (DR WEST JOHN
call AND email me once you picked up this

MTCN:9381995144
Sender's First Name: CHINEDU
Sender’s Last Name: OKWARA
Text Question:Honest
Answer: Trust
Amount: USD5000.00
Country; BENIN REPUBLIC.

Please email me your direct telephone number because I need to be calling you
Once we send any payment for the information’s.

Regards
(MRS. PRICNESS
Secretary

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam