419 scam: WESTERN UNION OFFICE <mini731031@yahoo.com.tw> YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO START RECEVING YOUR FUNDS

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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:
- "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)
- "million 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)
- "united state dollar" (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.
- +22967359342 (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.
- westunionpayofficebn444@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION OFFICE <mini731031@yahoo.com.tw>
Reply-To: westunionpayofficebn444@gmail.com
Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2012 00:05:52 +0800 (CST)
Subject: YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO START RECEVING YOUR FUNDS

Western Union Head Office Zugbe cotonou Benin republic,
Name of director Mr John Bayo .Tel phone +229-67359342
Contact email address {westunionpayofficebn444@gmail.com}.

Attn; Beneficiary;

Information reaching us from our corporate headquarters now, states that you only have 12hours to effect payment for the activation of your mtcn to enable you cash up your first payment of $5,000:00 from your total fund of $1.5Musd since you are finding it difficult to make this payment we have decided that you are to go ahead and pay whatever you have for the activation fee ranging from $50usd up since you are not able to come up with the required sum which was $175 before

This is the same western union that you are dealing with , so don't be confuse we are doing it for your own Good, so go and send any amount of money that you have at hand from $50 usd upward, we will activate your mtcn and send to you today, upon receipt of this payment. and also remember that your total fund is $1.5 million united state dollars.

Be inform that you will have to pay the balance sum of your activation upon cashing up of your first payment of $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. So I want you to send the amount you have at hand from $50 usd upward. With this information below. And update us amount that you send and the mtcn.

1.receiver name:......Mr Alexandra Nnaluo
Country...Benin republic.
3.city :...............Cotonou .
4..test question:....honest
5.test answer:......Trust.
6.amount ..........

Send us the mtcn number immediately you send the money and immediately we confirm the transfer fee we will send you the first receipt of your $5000 today and not tomorrow

Yours In Service
Mr John Bayo Managing Director
Western union department

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam