419 scam: WESTERN UNION OFFICE <0000officefffffff6@att.net> YOUR URGENT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY NEEDED

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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. )
- "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)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "remain blessed" (scammers in West Africa like to use religious phrases)
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.
- +22999286468 (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.
- wwesternunionoffice@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION OFFICE <0000officefffffff6@att.net>
Reply-To: wwesternunionoffice@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2012 17:29:57 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: YOUR URGENT RESPONSE IS HIGHLY NEEDED

I am Mr.Jack Johnson a computer scientist working with Western union money transfer Authority of Benin Republic. I just started work with Western union, and I came across your file which was marked X and your released disk painted RED, I took time to study it and found out that you have paid much fees, but the fund was not released to you, as I was going through your file I got your email address and I decided to contact you.

The most annoying thing is that they won't tell you the truth that on no account will they ever release the fund to you, instead they will allow you to spend money unnecessarily, I do not intend to work here all the days of my life, As it is stands now I have marked the disk blue and only money you will send now is to reactivate your account and it will cost you $65.00usd only.

Meanwhile I told our general attorney and I also show him your file marked red before he told me to mark it blue, he was very angry with our officials today and promised that with $65.00usd you will start to receiving your money from tomorrow morning so do not fail to send the $65.00usd today to enable the our attorney proceed.

We can release this fund to you if you can send this fee today, I and our attorney need to do this because you need to know the statues of your Funds and cause for the delay, and you may not understand it, because you are not from Benin.

The only thing needed to release this fund is to reactivate your account here which will cost you $65.00usd only. Note that the actual funds you will receive is ($3.500,000.00).after you receive this email today try to send the $65.00usd so that We will finalize everything today, by tomorrow, you will start to be receiving first $5000 us dollars daily,

And that you need to resend your current information on such as your phone number address and full name immediately to avoid delay.

Your name...................
Country.....................
Phone no....................
Address/city................
Age/sex.....................

below are the payment information to send the
$65.00usd ok,
RECIVER NAME.........MR.OBELUO INNOCENT
CITY................COTONOU
COUNTRY.........BENIN REPUBLIC
QUESTION........ to where?
ANSWER............. Benin Republic
AMOUNT...........$65.00usd
MTCN............
Sender s name and Address..........

Waiting to receive the payment information immediately or call me with this line +229 9928 6468 ok,
Do get in touch with me immediately with my direct email (wwesternunionoffice@gmail.com) to conclude this final transaction immediately,and also send me your private tel/fax numbers for easy communications

Thanks and remain
Blessed
Mr.Jack Johnson
A computer scientist

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam