419 scam: "Dr.MICHEAL JOHN." <richard@polaris.net.tw> WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

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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. )
- "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 fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
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.
- +22968578843 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Dr.MICHEAL JOHN." <richard@polaris.net.tw>
Reply-To: western.union969@outlook.com
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2014 09:53:17 +1000
Subject: WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

BRANCH: PLOT 117 JEAN PAUL AVENUE
COTONOU - BENIN REPUBLIC
The Director, Western Union Dept.
Tel: +229-68578843

Attn: ,

This is to inform you that your email ID has won you prize,
the sum of $2.500,000.00. for the Year 2013 /2014 Lottery
promotion organized by Western Union Company here in Benin,
Your Email-ID was selected by the Microsoft Corporation
which Always Supplied Western Union Company With Five
Thousand Email Addresses of Active Internet Users Yearly.
Your Email Address Was Submitted as one Of the Active
Internet Users for the Year 2014.

However, We are happy to inform you officially that we
received approval letter from Federal Ministry of Finance
Office, authorizing our Western Union to program a total the
sum of $2.500,000.00 USD and pay you through our western
union money transfer system for your easy pickup and warned
against any unforeseen delay that could make your fund not
to get to you in a timely manner.

The Federal Ministry of Finance have submitted your payment
file to us and all data have been confirmed correct to pay
you a total sum of $2.500,000.00 USD as one Of the Active
Internet Users for the Year 2014/Compensation Funds and your
Lottery Winning funds so far. We have been advised to send
you $8000 USD every day because Western Union laws here in
Benin Republic can only transfer a maximum of $8.000 USD
every day to outside country.

We have transferred your first US$8000.00 available for your
pickup at any western union office in your City, but still
on hold due to the unpaid activation fee of 85 usd which you
supposed to pay before your transfer will be posted to your
country for pickup.

Note: the reason why we want you to send the 85 usd before
you pickup your 8,000 usd is that we tried to deduct the
activation fee out from your 8000 usd but the Federal
Ministry of Finance told us that no one has access over your
fund as it have been signed and stamped that no money should
be deducted until it gets to you to avoid any
misunderstanding,for security reasons.

You will pick up your $8000 USD today at any western union
office in your country after 15 mins you send the 85.00 usd
activation fee of your daily installment account. You are to
send the activation fee today on our bellow information
through Western Union or store close to you:-

Receive by: ...... REUBEN AMUZIE
City : ..................Cotonou,
Country: ......................Benin Republic
Zip code: ..................+229
Text question: ................A?
Answer: ................B
Amount: ................85 usd
Sender name......
Sender address..

Congratulation!!!

Awaiting for your urgent respond in this regard.
Best Regard
DR MICHAL JOHN
Western Union Management
Bank BGFI Plc
Phone/+229-68298741

Anti-fraud resources:

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