419 scam: westerunion <mrvanmary@cantv.net> ATTENTION FOR YOUR IMMENSE BENEFITS!!!

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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:
- "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)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "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.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- wester_union12@hotmail.fr (Hotmail, France; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: westerunion <mrvanmary@cantv.net>
Reply-To: wester_union12@hotmail.fr
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2012 03:24:25 -0430 (VET)
Subject: ATTENTION FOR YOUR IMMENSE BENEFITS!!!

THE PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BENIN
LIBERATION PALACE COTONOU REPUBLIC DU BENIN
REF NO:.........PDSF/OSI/OO2/ DSF2O11
DATE:-...21 /06/2012

ATTENTION FOR YOUR IMMENSE BENEFITS!!!

INFORMATION REACHING US FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS TROUGH OUR PRESIDENT YAYI BONI NOW STATES THAT YOU HAVE 72HOURS TO EFFECT PAYMENT OF YOUR COMPENSATION FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE YOU CASH UP YOUR FIRST $5000.00 FROM YOUR TOTAL (FUND OF $950.000.00 ) 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 SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM,TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
HERE.

YOU ARE TO PAY WHATEVER YOU HAVE FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE; WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT.

BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR RELEASE ORDER FEE UPON CASHING UP YOUR FIRST $5000.00 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 RECEIVE AND CAN NEVER CASH UP THE BALANCE SUM I WANT YOU TO SEND THE ACTIVATION FEE WITH THE INFORMATION BELLOW.

SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE ACTIVATIONFEE WE WILL SEND YOU THE FIRST RECEIPT OF YOUR $5000.00 TODAY AND DON'T FORGET TO FORWARD THE MTCN TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS { wester_union12@hotmail.fr
} OR ON PHONE +22968446032 DIRECTOR REV. FR. FRANCIS NWAIKE TO AVOID MISTAKE DO THAT FOR YOUR PAYMENT.

HERE ARE THE INFORMATION'S WHERE YOU CAN SEND ANY AMOUNT YOU HAVE AT HAND

RECEIVER ::::::::: MR.UBANAGW BONN

COUNTRY:::::::::BENIN REPUBLIC.
CITY::::::::::::COTONOU.
QUESTION::::::::::::::AS SOON AS?
ANSWER::::::::::::POSSIBLE.
AMOUNT::::::::::::::::ANY
AMOUNT YOU HAVE SENT

MTCN:::::::::::::::::::::
SENDER NAME::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SENDER ADDRESS:::::::::::::::::::
TEL:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

AWAITING FOR YOUR URGENT MAIL TODAY.Remember this Code number which is meant for your security{W.P.TRUST GOD).

I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
YOURS IN SERVICE
VICE PRESIDENT BARRISTER FEMI ANDY..
WESTERN UNION HEAD OFFICE DEPARTMENT
REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
FOREIGN CONTRACTOR PAYMENT OFFICE
THIS IS OUR CONDUCT CODE ( 00229 )

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam