419 scam: WESTERN UNION OFFICE <barrbenibe@hotmail.fr> CONTACT HIM FOR YOUR FUND NOW,MTCN(4861921646)

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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:
- "dear friend" (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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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.
- +22993219772 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION OFFICE <barrbenibe@hotmail.fr>
Reply-To: western_unionoff@w.cn
Date: Fri, 6 May 2011 09:56:42 +0100 (BST)
Subject: CONTACT HIM FOR YOUR FUND NOW,MTCN(4861921646)

Dear Friend,
My working partner has helped me to send your first payment of $4,000.00 to you and here is the informations;
Track the fund with western union website now; www.westernunion.com and confirmed yourself that it is available for pick up by receiver.

MTCN: 4861921646
SENDER FIRST NAME:PRINCE
SENDER LAST NAME;OKWARA
AMOUNT----$4,000.00

Track it now.(www.westernunion.com) I told him to keep sending you $4,000.00 daily until the payment of (USA)$800.000.00 is completed.
Now forward them your Telephone number,Full Name, Your Country and address, So that they will be sure.
Warning---Do not go for the fund yet,till you contact Barr Patrick Eagle.
According to the informations sent to me, from the western union office where i depositted the fund,they have picked up the fund now and keep it for you,because since all the receiving informations appears in internate many people is going for the fund,which is not their fund.
Only contact this western union office now,they will gives you another new picking up informations with valid MTCN(money transfer control number) for you to start picking the fund.
Please contact,Barr Patrick Eagle. to the below E-mail (western_union505@live.fr) OR (western_unionoff@w.cn)

Contact person:Barr Patrick Eagle.
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC.
PHONE;(+229-93-21-97-72)
Code of Conduct(505)

Regards.
MR JOSEPH FRED.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam