419 scam: WESTERN UNION <federalbureauinvestigat001@gmail.com> ATTENTION DEAR FRIEND,

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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)
- "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)
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.
- +22998954729 (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.
- westernunionunion81@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION <federalbureauinvestigat001@gmail.com>
Reply-To: westernunionunion81@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:54:39 -0700
Subject: ATTENTION DEAR FRIEND,

ATTENTION DEAR FRIEND,

THIS IS SEVERAL TIMES WE WESTERN UNION BENIN ARE SENDING YOU THIS SAME
EMAIL TO START TRANSFERRING YOUR PAYMENTS AND YOU CAN AT THE SAME TIME
PICKING UP YOUR PAYMENT AS WE TOLD YOU BEFORE THIS INFORMATION REACH
US SINCE LAST THREE WEEKS AGO FROM OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ECO BANK
WESTERN UNION, WHICH STATES THAT YOU ONLY HAVE 48HOURS TO EFFECT
PAYMENT FOR THE ACTIVATION OF YOUR MTCN TO ENABLE YOU START CASHING UP
YOUR PAYMENTS WHICH YOU SHALL BE RECEIVING IN THE RATE OF $4,500:00
FROM YOUR TOTAL SUM $1,700,000.00 (ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED AND
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) AS IT WILL BE TRANSFERRING TO YOU.

SINCE YOU ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE REQUIRED PAYMENT,WE
HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU ARE TO GO AHEAD AND PAY WHATEVER AMOUNT YOU HAVE
FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE
REQUIRED SUM OF$210, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE, SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE
THE REQUIRE SUM OF$210, SO GO AND SEND ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU
HAVE AT HAND STARTING FROM $50 TO UP $210, WE WILL ACTIVATE YOUR MTCN
AND SEND TO YOU TODAY, UPON RECEIPT OF THIS PAYMENT,
BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR
ACTIVATION UPON CASHING UP OF YOUR FIRST 4,500:00 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 RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS.

SO, YOU HAVE TO SEND THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE AT HAND NOW WITH THIS
INFORMATION BELLOW AND UPDATE US THE AMOUNT THAT YOU SEND AND THE
MTCN.SEND THE PAYMENT DETAIL TO THIS
EMAIL,{westernunionunion81@yahoo.com}

1. RECEIVER NAME... MR.ANAKWE ANTHONEY
2. COUNTRY..........REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
3. CITY.............COTONOU.
4...TEST QUESTION...HONEST
5. ANSWER..........TRUST.
6. ANY ……AMOUNT

THIS LAST NOTICE TO YOU, IF YOU FAIL TO SEND THE MONEY TODAY YOUR
PAYMENT FILE ILL BE CANCELED FINALLY. SO RUSH TO WESTERN UNION NOW AND
SEND ANY MONEY THAT YOU HAVE AT HAND NOW START FROM $50 UP TO $210,
CALL ME ON THIS LINE AS SOON AS YOU +229 98954729

MR.john peter
OPERATION MANAGER.
WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT
westernunionunion81@yahoo.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam