419 scam: "WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER" <info.westernunionmtransferbj@yahoo.fr> ****SPAM**** FEE $26, USD SEND IT BY MONEY GRAM.

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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:

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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "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.
- +22968447338 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER" <info.westernunionmtransferbj@yahoo.fr>
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 20:55:23 +0800 (CST)
Subject: ****SPAM**** FEE $26, USD SEND IT BY MONEY GRAM.

ATTN:BENEFICIARY.

WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEND YOUR FUND TO YOUR ADDRESS IN YOUR CITY FROM THE FINACIAL DEPARTMENT HERE IN BENIN REPUBLIC.YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR FUND ( $4.500 U.S.D ) PER DAY AND YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR TOTAL FUND WITHOUT DELAY.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES THE SUM OF $26 USD FOR THE $4,500.00 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SENT, MEANWHILE SEND THE $26 USD TO US IMMEDIATELY TODAY FOR FASTER SENDING OF YOUR FUND CORRECTLY BY TOMORROW MORNING.

AFTER THE MONEY HAVE BEEN TRANSFERED CORRECTLY TO YOUR ADDRESS WE WILL MAIL YOU THE PAYMENT INFORMATIONS YOU NEED TO PICK UP YOUR MONEY IN ANY WESTERN UNION ARROUND YOU. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TRACK AND SEE IT AVAILABLE BUT YOU CAN NOT PICK IT UP BECAUSE IT WILL STILL BE ONHOLD TILL YOU SEND OUR TRANSFER CHARGE OF $26 ONLY.

REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE $26 USD IS THAT WE TRIED TO DEDUCT THE TRANSFERING FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC TOLD US THAT NO ONE HAS RIGHT OVER YOUR FUND AS IT HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND STAMPED THAT NO MONEY SHOULD BE DEDUCTED UNTIL IT GETS TO YOUR HANDS TO AVOID STEALING SOME OF THE FUNDS.

HERE IS THE ONE WE SEND TO YOU BUT IT WILL REMAIN ON HOLD UNTIL YOU SEND US OUR TRANSFER CHARGES OF $26 BEFORE WE CAN RELEASE IT MEANWHILE YOU WILL TRACK IT AND CONFIRM THE MTCN.YOU CAN GO AHEAD TRACK IT AND CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER HAS BEEN MADE TO USA WTITH THIS LINK WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM
You will pick the money with this information.
WWW.WESTERNUNION.COM

SENDER NAME: Della Pennington
QUESTION///// A
TEST ANSWER//// B
AMOUNT///// $4,500 USD
MTCN: 2374877180

FINALLY,SEND US THE $26 USD URGENT TO ENABLE US PROCEED ON YOUR PAYMENT IMMEDIATELY RIGHT.BELOW IS OUR ACCOUNT'S INFORMATION FOR YOU TO SEND THE $26 USD THROUGH MONEY GRAM ONLY TRANSFER BEEN OUR TRANSFERING CHARGE FOR YOUR $4,500.00 USD.

1.RECEIVER NAME:..EMMANUEL UKEJE MBA
2.COUNTRY: Benin REPUBLIC
3.CITY : Cotonou.
4.TEST QUESTION:A
5.TEST ANSWER:B
6.AMOUNT: $26, USD
7.REF NUMBER::::::

YOUR URGENT RESPOND IS HIGHLY NEEDED WITH THE TRANSFER MTCN #.

REGARDS
Mr David WHITE,
+229-68447338
FORIGN OPERATION MANAGER

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam