419 scam: "WESTERN UNION"<info@batbro.com> Attention dear

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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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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 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.
- +2348100934900
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.
- unionwesternoffice318@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "WESTERN UNION" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <unionwesternoffice318@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2015 10:37:15 -0700
Subject: Attention dear

ECO BANK WESTERN UNION DEPARTMENT NIGERIA
05 BP 655,30, Zone Commercial ABUJA
Website: http://www.westernunion.com
Telephone: +234-8100934900
Email:unionwesternoffice318@gmail.com
Send Money Worldwide

Dear Valued Customer,

You are welcome to the Western Union Money Transfer Office,

I want to inform you that we have already sent you $5000.00 US Dollars
through Western union as we have been given the mandate to transfer
your full over due payment total sum of $3.5m USD, via western union
by the Ministry of Finance. I tried reaching you on phone to give you
all the information on phone but I couldn't get through yesterday, So
I decided to email you the MTCN and sender name so that you can pick
up the $5000.00 to enable us send another $5000.00 today as you know
we will be sending you $5000.00 only per day.

And it was agreed that you will pay $95 to renew and reconfirm
your payment file to us through the World Bank Central System here in
NIGERIA. before the release of the payment to you. Below is the
western union information of your first payment of $5,000 so kindly
visit our website
:(https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=NG ) you
are advise to track your payment through Our website to see it is
available to pick up by receiver, you can not be able to pick the
payment up until you send the $95 to renew and reconfirm your
payment file to us through the World Bank Central System here in
Nigeria.

Here is the Senders Information.

Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N) 1016748390
Senders First Name: Chidi
Senders Last Name: Udu
Question:In God
Answer:We trust

Be inform that you can not be able to pick up your first payment until
you send the $95 being to renew and reconfirm your payment file
to us through the World Bank Central System here in NIGERIA so that we
can put your Name as the Receiver for easier receive of your
inherited funds without any further delay. You are advise to go
straight to any western union office and send the $95 with the
below information.

Receiver's Name ... ANTHONY CHINWUBA
Country ... NIGERIA
City .... ABUJA
Amount .... $95
Question .... When
Answer .... Now
Control No# (MTCN) .....
Sender's Name .......
Country .......

Be advice that the $95 for the to renew and reconfirm your
payment file is compulsory as they told me that is the only money you
will pay to receive your payment completely. Endeavor to E-mail your
direct telephone number because you will be called once any other
payment is sent to you.

Best Regards,

Dr. Chidi Udi,

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam