419 scam: "WESTERN UNION® PAYMENT-Money in Minutes service"<galashep@ukrpost.ua> Payment Order #: WUMT-8880635/2011 (MTCN: 293-345-0361)

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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:
- "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. )
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.
- +229 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION® PAYMENT-Money in Minutes service" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ww.westernunion@videobank.it>
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:04:20 -0000
Subject: Payment Order #: WUMT-8880635/2011 (MTCN: 293-345-0361)

Over Locations Worldwide 380,000Send Money Worldwide
Happy Christmas Dear Western Union Money Customer.

This is the Western Union Money Transfer® - Money in Minutes service

Western Union Payment Center have this month of December 2011 acknowledge the receipt of your email in regards to the immediate release of your ($1.500.000 USD) deposited here by Federal Minister Administrator Trust Fund Committee to send to you through this medium of Western Union Money Transfer. For security reasons and to safe guide of your fund, We have verified your payment with this exclusive Transaction details:

Your first transfer of $7,000.00 USD has just been authorized, sent, but you can not pick up the amount yet.

See transaction Details Below.

-------------------------------------
TRANSACTION DETAILS:
-------------------------------------

SENDER'S FIRST NAME: Oleg
SENDER'S LAST NAME: Katsan
MTCN: 293-345-0361 (Please Remove "-" from MTCN before checking status of transaction)
AMOUNT SENT: $5,000.00 USD
WILL RECEIVER HAVE A VALID ID? YES
Amount: = $5,000.00

The payment information was pending as a result of A STOP ORDER NOTIFICATION imposed on your payment by the Federal Ministry of Finance stating that Western Union Money Transfer should hold on in completing your payment as there was a signal from Foreign Monetary Section on International Settlement Unit that you have not PAID for your Contract Award Payment Normalization which should be the last step before the transfer takes effect.

Based on this development, you are urgently required to pay the sum of $98.00 USD for the Normalization of your payment award certification by the Ministry of Finance Republic of Benin and you have to pay for the Normalization Fee as a result of the foreign payment regulations of (section 112) paragraph 17D of the Benin Government which was amended in 2004 and in section 427 of 2005 constitution which affects financial alliance. An Payment Normalization Certificate will be issued on your payment file and a copy will be forwarded to you and a copy to our Western Union Department from the Ministry of Finance together with Transfer Approval Writ and we will begin our operation in transferring money to you in next 1 hours ONCE THE $98.00 USD is received and all the correct Western Union pick up details will be forwarding to you and you will pick up the $5,000 from Western Union today.

Note: it is our humbly responsibility to make sure that your outstanding funds payment did not go into a wrong hand once you make the payment for the Payment Normalization, as the Ministry of Finance (M.O.F) will be fully responsible to make sure that your funds is been remitted to you on daily basis because they are in close watch over the transfer to monitor the out coming result.

When you are ready, we will provide you with the payment details to have the fee of $98.00 USD paid for immediate releasing of your first installment. You will be required to email (ww.westernunion@videobank.it) us or give us a call +229.986.936.79 to get details needed to make the payment for your Award Payment Normalization.

We await a confirmation from you, informing us when you want to settle the fee needed, so you can start receiving your installment payment from today.

Yours truly,

Dr.Eric Maxwell
Telephone:+229.986.936.79
For: Western Union Payment Service
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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam