419 scam: "w_union"<newpaypal@earthlink.net> western union available for pick up by Receiver/+2347080153874.

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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. )
- "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. )
- "you are advise to" (this email uses bad English)
- "abuja" (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 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.
- w_union190@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "w_union" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <w_union190@yahoo.co.jp>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 15:00:04 -0600
Subject: western union available for pick up by Receiver/+2347080153874.

Western Union Money Transfer@b
Email:w_union190@yahoo.co.jp
Website: www.westernunion.com
WESTERN UNION INSTALLMENT PAYMENT ONLY.

Firstly, I must start by apologizing for the delay in response to you and for not contacting you since the begining of the new year.

This email is coming to you in regards to your fund that you have been unable to claim due to your lack of co-operation in the past. This organization has decided to make it know to you that the funds in your ATM been cleared into an screw account and that you will be receiving your fund through the fastest means of money transfer in the world.

Since you have not been able to claim you fund that has been with us for a very long time, we have to call back your ATM CARD and make arrangement alternatively to transfer your fund instrumentally through Western Union Money Transfer here today which has been programmed to be transferred understatement at rate of $5,500 daily as

Western Union laws here does not allow transferring funds above $5,500 at once from this country to another, but we will be sending under installment of $5,500 daily

till the amount of $2.5 Million usd is completely Paid to you as the beneficiary of the ATM CARD in question.

In other words, We have today transferred your first installment payment ( $5,500) available for your pickup at any western union office nearest to you, but still on hold due to the unpaid endorsement & daily activation file fee amount of $150.00 that you are supposed to pay before your daily transfer will be made available to you.

You will pickup the bellow installment at any western union office nearest to you with bellow information's as soon as you submit the $150 endorsement & daily

activation file fee. You can track your first installment payment through the western union global website https://www.wu.com/BJ/en/track-transfer.html

as for you to know that the money is available for pick up (but will not be released to you without the file activation fee of $150).

1)Sender Name::::Steven Matheny
2)MTCN Number:::7354397746
3)TextQuestion:::How long
4)Answer:::24 hrs
5)Amount::: $7,000.00

The endorsement & daily activation file fee of $150 should be sent to our office here in care to our accounting officer through Western Union Money Transfer nearest to

you or Money Gram.
You are to send the endorsement activation charges with the information below.

Receivers Name: Monu John.
Address: 4989 gibson tower. Abuja, Nigeria
Amount: $150
Text Question: COLOR?
Answer: YELLOW.

As soon as you send the fee, send us the transfer Mtcn/Reference # to help us proceed with immediate transfer activation of your first installment payment Notice: This preference is being given to you to our good name and also to make sure we get your fund paid to you with no complication of things or delay.

Note: the Activation Fees could not be deducted from the fund in the ATM CARD as we have no access to the fund due to the Fact that it was placed in an escrew account

Please submit your Activation charges with the name of our accounting officer as given to you and get back to this office with details of your payment for further actions here.

To avoid complication of things, you are advise to treat this payment as urgent as possible so we can proceed with the activation of your first installment so you can get it picked up in any nearest Western Union Money Transfer outlet near you on time to avoid any internet scam hacking of the Mtcn that is given to you above.

Treat As Urgent and get back to this office with receipt of your payment for fast procedures here.
Thanking you for your Anticipated Co-operations.

Respectfully Yours.
Mr.Steven.
Payment Department
Federal Ministry of Finance Inconjuction with Western Union Office
Motto: In God We Trust!!

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam