419 scam: "W U BANK" <officefile201120@gmail.com> Your First $5000 sent today MTCN# 8492251069

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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:
- "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.
- +22998486522 (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.
- wmwesternunionmoneytransfer86@gmail.com (Gmail/GoogleMail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "W U BANK" <officefile201120@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wmwesternunionmoneytransfer86@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:55:31 -0500
Subject: Your First $5000 sent today MTCN# 8492251069

FROM OFFICE OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA
ROAD LAGOTES PALAMY DIRECT PHONE LINE IS +22998486522
=====================================================

ATTENTION:

INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS NOW, STATES THAT YOU
ONLY HAVE 24HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR PAPER PERMIT
WHICH WAS ALREADY DORMENT TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $5,000:00 MTCN FROM
YOUR TOTAL $900.000.00 (FUND) SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE FULL
PAYMENT OF FEE WE HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER YOU
HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR PAPER PERMIT FILES WHICH WAS ALREADY DORMENT
DO TO DELAY SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED ,TIME IS OF
THE ESSENCE HERE.YOU ARE TO PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE AS FROM $55 UP FOR THE
ACTIVATION OF YOUR PAPER PERMIT WHICH WAS ALREADY DORMANT ; WE WILL ACTIVATE
YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT. HERE IS THE YOUR FIRST PAYMENT,

Available for pick up by receiver BELOW. Track it online and you can confirm
that your first $5000 is Available to pick up by Receiver, But You can`t pick
this $5000 up now becuase your paper permit are dormant , So you can only pick
it up after you sent the $55 for the activation of your paper permit, Track it
now on our web site www.westernunion.com,

MTCN) ; # 8492251069
SENDER ; AUSTIN GINIKA
Amount........ $5,000.00 USD

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION AS
SOON AS CASH 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 ,I WANT YOU TO GO RIGHT NOW AND SEND WHAT EVER YOU HAVE AS FROM
$55 UP FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR TRANSFER PAPER PERMIT FILE WITH THE
INFORMATION BELLOW.

1.RECEIVER NAME:.............CHETUYA S. AMOBI
2.COUNTRY:............. COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC .
3.CITY :............... COTONOU .
COUNTRY CODE.......... 2294..
TEST QUESTION:....HONEST ?
5.TEST ANSWER:......TRUST.

FORWARD THE MTCN NUMBER AND SENDER NAME TO MR PETER ERIC OUR FORIGN OPERATING
MANAGER ON THIS WEB MAIL (wmwesternunionmoneytransfer86@gmail.com) IMMEDIATELY
YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE PAPER PERMIT ACTIVATION FEE
WE WILL SHALL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECEIPT OF YOUR $5000 TODAY NOT TOMORROW.

REGARDS MY DIRECT PHONE LINE IS +22998486522

MR PETER ERIC
PAYMENT OFFICER

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam