419 scam: WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN <mini731031@yahoo.com.tw> NOTIFICATION OF YOUR PAYMENT FROM WESTERN UNION

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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. )
- "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)
- "hundred thousand united state 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)
- "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)
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "federal republic of benin" (Benin, Cameroon, etc. are no Federal Republics, unlike Nigeria where this type of scam was invented)
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.
- +22998914872 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
- +22998211297 (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.
- wunionoffice82@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN <mini731031@yahoo.com.tw>
Reply-To: wunionoffice82@yahoo.fr
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:24:35 +0800 (CST)
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF YOUR PAYMENT FROM WESTERN UNION

        SEND MONEY WORLDWIDE:

     OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER. COTONOU

     Financial Bank Benin Republic

     WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT

      Address Rue du Commandant DECOEUR,

      Avenue du Gouverneur Général Ponty, Cotonou

      Benin Republic B.P. : 01 - 2700

      Western Union/ Phone: 00229-98211297

      OUR WEB SITE/ www.westernunion.com

      Email:wunionoffice82@yahoo.fr

                ATTENTION BENEFICIARY:

AFTER
OUR OFFICIAL VERIFICATION PERUSAL WE HAVE OBTAIN FACTS THAT YOU ARE THE
BONAFIDE BENEFICIARY OF THE FUND VALUED AT THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATES DOLLARS DEPOSITED IN OUR OFFICE BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN THROUGH FUND VAULT KTU/9023118308/03
FROM UNITED NATION, SINCE THIS FUND WAS GIVEN BY THE PARIS CLUB
INTERNATIONAL ON YOUR NAME WE NEVER HEARD FROM YOU TILL NOW, WE WANT TO
USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TOCONGRATULATE YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS IMMENSELY
DONATION GIVEN TO YOU BY THE

PARIS CLUB INTER NATION.

PLEASE
YOU ARE ADVISE TO GO THROUGH THIS EMAIL CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE
YOUUNDERSTAND AND COMPLY WITH THE CONTENTS BEFORE REPLYING. WE ARE
INSTRUCTED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF BENIN TO TRANSFER YOUR FUND TO YOU
VIA OUR INSTALMENTALLY TRANSFER THROUGH OUR SERVICE (WESTERN UNION MONEY
TRANSFER).

SO
YOU WILL BE RECEIVING $5,000.00 USD DAILY UNTIL THE SUCCESSFUL INSTALL
MENTAL TRANSFER OF YOUR TOTAL FUND OF THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATE DOLLARS ($300,000.00 USD).

MEANING
THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR $5,000 USD TILL THE NUMBER OF DAYS
REQUIRED FOR YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR TOTAL FUND OF THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND
UNITED STATE DOLLARS.

MEAN
WHILE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND US THE TRANSFER CHARGES WHICH IS $55 USD
FOR THE $5,000.00 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TRANSFERRED TO YOUR NAME BUT
CANNOT BE PICK BECAUSE IT WAS PLACE ON HOLD BY THE MANAGEMENT.

REASON,
BECAUSE WE INTEND TO DEDUCT THE TRANSFERRING FEE OUT FROM YOUR TOTAL
FUND BUT THE FINANCIAL TRUST FUND COMMITTEE OF BENIN REPUBLIC PROOF IN
ACCORDANCE TO UNITED NATION FINANCIAL EDITS OF 1990 AS RELATED TO
INTERNATIONAL FUND TRANSFER POLICY AS AGREED WITH WESTERN UNION ACTS
THAT NO ONE HAS RIGHT OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED
THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR FUND UNTIL IT ALL GETS TO YOU
TO AVOID ANY MAL-PRACTICE IN MAKING ACCESSIVE DEDUCTION FROM YOUR FUND.

BE
INFORMED THAT IF THE POLICY IS NOT OBSERVE IT MIGHT INVOLVE CORRUPTION
WHICH IN OTHER WORDS MIGHT LEAD YOU LOOSING YOUR FUND, THEREFORE TAKE
NOTE THAT WE CANNOT DEDUCT YOUR TRANSFER FEES FROM YOUR FUND.

HERE
IS THE INFORMATION OF THE ONE WE SENT TODAY TO YOU BUT IT WILL REMAIN
ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF $55 USD BEFORE WE CAN
RELEASE THE FIRST $5,000 TO YOU.

Paste our website www.westernunion.com , click TRACKING,type

MTCN(9611517744) type the sender`s first name:Patrick and second

name:wilfred,click OK,then you will confirm your payment available to pick up

BUT IT WILL REMAIN ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF $55

USD BEFORE WE CAN RELEASE THE FIRST $5,000 TO YOU.

SENDER'S NAME:--------------Patrick Wilfred

Test Question---------------amount sent?

Test Answer-----------------$5000Usd

Amount----------------------$ 5,000,00,

MTCN:9611517744

THEREFORE,
COPY THE NAME BELOW AND GO STRAIGHT AND SEND OUR OFFICIAL TRANSFER
CHARGES OF $55 USD TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON YOUR PAYMENT RELEASE
IMMEDIATELY, BELOW IS THE INFORMATION OF OUR ACCOUNT OFFICER WHICH YOU
WILL USE TO REMIT THE $55 USD VIA WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER BEEN OUR
TRANSFERRING CHARGE FOR YOUR $5,000.00 USD.

RECEIVER NAME:........ ALEXANDRA NNALUO,

COUNTRY:..................... BENIN REPUBLIC .

CITY :............................. COTONOU.

TEST QUESTION:............HOW SOON?

TEST ANSWER:............... URGENT

AMOUNT:....................... .$55USD

YOUR
URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED TO ENABLE US TO RELEASE YOUR FIRST
TRANSFERRED $5,000 WITHIN AN HOUR, INCLUDE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER AS YOU
REPLY WITH YOUR PAYMENT MTCN FOR THE TRANSFER FEES, CALL ME FOR ANY
QUESTION

+22998914872

AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE.

REGARDS

SIR REV MIKE.JOHN

FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER

WESTERN UNION

TEL: +22998914872

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam