419 scam: "WESTERN UNION"<westernunionns@yahoo.com> To celebrate our 156th Anniversary Benin and Switzerland

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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. )
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.
- westernunionsb@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <westernunionns1@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 03:46:50 -0800
Subject: To celebrate our 156th Anniversary Benin and Switzerland

For 156 years, Western Union has been connecting people. At Western Union, there's

so much more than money you're sending. Every sender and receiver is important to

us. To celebrate our 156th Anniversary Benin and Switzerland, we're rewarding our customers with prizes of USD$2,2Million ,

Because you sent money on-line, from an agent location or received money through

Western Union/ or you banked with any of our banking agents you've been selected.

However, you are required to forward the following information for immediate payment

of your USD$2,2Million

1.) Beneficiary:………………

2.) Address:………………….

3.) Sex/Age:…………………

4.) Telephone/Fax: …………

5.) Occupation:………………

6.) Reference number:……..

You will be contacted by a Western Union in the next 24 hours as soon as you forward

your required information and you will receive the US$60, 000.00 prizes immediately

from us.

(CONTACT CLAIMS CORDINATOR)

MR JOHN SMITH

EMAIL; westernunionsb@yahoo.com

Save time, send money, earn rewards! Western Union is a service people trust.

ANNIVERSARY DAY

Thank you for using Western Union! --------- -------------------------

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam