419 scam: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER <payments@westernunion.com> (no subject)

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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:
- "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
- "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. )
- "hundred thousand united states 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)
- ",500,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
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.
- wumt_access01@yahoo.com.tw (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER <payments@westernunion.com>
Reply-To: wumt_access01@yahoo.com.tw
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:25:31 +0800
Subject:

WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER
MALAYSIAN PAY-OUT CENTER

Dear Sir/Madam,

UNITED NATIONS PAYMENT NOTIFICATION.

We the management of Western Union Malaysia, wish to inform you that
the United Nations (UN) has authorised us to remit to you a total
amount of $1,500,000.00 USD (One Million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars). This amount is to be paid to you because of the fact
that you were selected as a beneficiary in the Last E-mail ballot
promotion held in Malaysia, by the United Nations. This promotion is
inline with the social resposibility of the United Nations
Organization, which is held once every year to change the living
status of five (5) lives around the Globe. This year, yourself and
Four (4) other people were randomly selected. On behalf of the United
Nations Organization, we wish to congratulate you formally.

Your Inheritance/Winning payment was paid out to us, by the United
Nations, and they have successfully succeeded in depositing your whole
funds with us here at Western Union Malaysia. They have now ordered us
to take full responsibility in the transfer process of your funds and
thus commence the immediate remittance of your funds to you. Be
strongly informed that because of our Western Union transfer policy,
your funds will be paid to you via our Western Union Daily Transfer
limit of $7,600.00 USD. This means that you will continuously receive
a daily amount of $7,600.00 USD from us, and this amount can be
collected from any of our numerous Western Union outlets in your
current location.

To begin receiving your daily payment as stated above, we need you to
provide us with; Your Full Name, Address, and Phone Number. Upon
receipt of the requested details, your first transaction will be
activated and we shall then proceed to provide you with the Money
Transfer Control Number (MTCN) for the first installment, and we will
continue to email you others after 24 hours of receiving each payment.

For more information on your payment status;

E-mail Mr. Lee Yung @ wumt_access01@yahoo.com.tw

OR call our 24 hours Helpline @ +60.149.423.902 for any inquiries on
the above message.

Yours truly,

Miss. Lilian Harel
For: Western Union Malaysia

WESTERN UNION... Over 380,000 Outlets Worldwide.

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