419 scam: "WESTERN UNION" <williams.edward44@yahoo.com> URGENT REPLY NEEDED.

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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)
- "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 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.
- +22998830940 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- wwwwesternunion40@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION" <williams.edward44@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: western12201168@yahoo.fr
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:08:53 +0200
Subject: URGENT REPLY NEEDED.

OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROADOPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS
COTONOU.
TELEPHONE +22998830940
(wwwwesternunion40@gmail.com)

ATTN; BENEFICIARY

THIS IS THE SAME WESTERN UNION THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH FROM AFRICA BENIN.

INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT
YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO
ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $5,000:00 FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND) SINCE YOU
ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE
TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE
NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM $750, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
HERE.

THIS IS THE SAME WESTERN UNION THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH , SO DON’T BE
CONFUSE WE ARE DOING IT FOR YOUR HELP SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE THE REQUIRE
SUM OF$750, SO GO AND SEND ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU HAVE AT HAND
STARTED FFROM $45 TO UP $750, WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN AND SEND TO YOU
TODAY, UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION
UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST 5,000:00 USD, ALSO I AM USING THIS MEDIUM TO
INFORM YOU THAT FAILURE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM WILL LEAVE US WITH NO
OPTION BUT TO DEACTIVATE YOUR MTCN OF WHICH YOU WILL AND CAN NEVER CASH UP
THE BALANCE SUM. SO I WANT YOU TO SEND THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE AT HAND. WITH
THIS INFORMATION BELLOW. AND UPDATE US AMOUNT THAT YOU SEND AND THE MTCN.

1.RECEIVER NAME:............. UZOR OKOYE
2.COUNTRY:............. BENIN REPUBLIC.
3.CITY :............... COTONOU .
4..TEST QUESTION:....HONEST
5.TEST ANSWER:......TRUST.
6.AMOUNT ..........ANY

SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE
CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECEIPT OF YOUR $5000
TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW

REGARDS MY DIRECTOR PHONE LINE IS +229-988-309-40 DR. PAUL ERIC FROM
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR PAYMENT

SINCERELY,
DIRECTOR MR. PETER MOORE,
TELEPHONE +22998830940
OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA ROAD OPPOSITE TUNDE
MOTORS COTONOU.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam