419 scam: western union <fbiinvestigation_office@yahoo.com.ph> MONEY SENT (MTCN IS 6640576456)

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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:
- "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. )
- "fund beneficiary" (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- +22998537362 (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.
- w333union@yahoo.com.ph (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- account, so contact mr mkpakala udo on his email; w333union@yahoo.com.ph or w33union@yahoo.com and call phone/ 00229 985 373 62 (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: western union <fbiinvestigation_office@yahoo.com.ph>
Reply-To: w333union@yahoo.com.ph
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:51:39 +0800 (SGT)
Subject: MONEY SENT (MTCN IS 6640576456)

western
Union Money
Send
Money
Worldwide

Hello Fund Beneficiary,

How are you today with
your family? This is to officially notify you that our Western Union African
Regional operations/ payment reconciliation Committee has reviewed your payment
file and issued payment authorization order to the Special Transfer Unit (WU
MT-STU)The board of directors has decided to send your $1.850,000.00 USD through
western union Money Transfer twice pay day, and $4500 was already been sent
today to you but has not yet upload to your name because your payment owner ship
file is yet to be re-new. You can check the availability at the Western Union
website which is:
https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global

Enter our website online www.westernunion.com ,click(track a transfer) enter the mtcn;(6640576456) put sender first name(Prince)follow by sender second name(Ogbonna) then click (check
status) your will see that your first $4500 USD transfer is
available for pick up by you,but you can not pick it up until your fund owner
ship file certificate is reinstated because the uploaded is yet to be completed
to the western union world wide central system for payout to you from your
country.

So what you should do is to provide your full
information below where we can change and upload the western union information
to your name.

(1).Full name,(2)Your address(3) Your correct address(4)
your direct Phone to call you when ever payment is made (5) Your id..

Note you are to pay $39 for the uploadment to you name before we can
complete and release the first $4500 to you, the $39 cannot be deduct Because
your total fund is still in an escrow suspend account, So Contact Mr Mkpakala
Udo on his Email; w333union@yahoo.com.ph or w33union@yahoo.com and call Phone/ 00229 985 373 62 or the
re-uploadment release to you for pay out in your country once you have send the
renewing fee.

You are advice to provide the above information correctly
and ask him to change the western union $4500 MTCN
6640576456
to your correct details immediately after paying the $39 for renewing your fund
ownership documents in this office, look you must pay this $39 before he can
re-upload your first $4500 to your name so that you can start picking up your
transfer today with out any more problem.

HERE IS THE INFORMATION TO
SEND THE $39 THROUGH WESTERN UNION.

Receiver name------- Francis
Onyeka
Location----- Benin Republic
Address----- BP 105 avenue cotonou.

City------- Porto-novo
Question---- How long
Answer------------
Immediatley
Amount----------$39.00

This
is the only official requirements needed to get this concluded so that your
transfers will be uploaded to the central worldwide computer system for onward
payments of your twice daily transfers of
$4500.There is no time to waste, go ahead and
clarify with the STU Officer and start receiving your money.

once the
require fee is send forward to us the below for proper comfirmation.

Sender name-----------------

Mtcn--------------------

Call 00229 985 373 62 immediatley
you have send it for immediatley renewiuploadment to enable transfer your second
payment.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Yours in service.
Mrs Linda
Suru Cole.
Chairperson: Payment Reconciliation Board.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam