419 scam: WESTERN UNION <michelleobama627@gmail.com> Attention: My 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:
- "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. )
- "i am using this medium to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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.
- +22999864328 (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.
- beninbank@accountant.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION <michelleobama627@gmail.com>
Reply-To: beninbank@accountant.com
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2017 00:57:23 -0800
Subject: Attention: My Dear

Attention: My Dear,

ANY AMOUNT FOR YOU TO PICKUP YOUR FIRST PAYMENT TODAY

Information reaching us from our corporate headquarters now, states
that you only have 48hours to effect payment for the activation of
your MTCN to enable you cash up your first $5000:00 from your total
(fund) since you are finding it difficult to make this payment we have
decided that you are to go ahead and pay whatever you have for the
activation fee since you are not able to come up with the required
sum, time is of the essence here.

You are to pay what ever you have for the activation fee; we will
activate your MTCN upon receipt of this payment. here is the payment
for the $5000:00 usd with the name of our Assistant Accountant officer
but you can not pick it up because the chairman of the WESTERN UNION
say that before you pick that money you must pay any amount you have
at hand out of listed Amount bellow,CONTACT ON ;+22999864328.Remember
that you can not pick up the money due to it is unhold and you can
also Tracking it right now with our website www.westernunion.com
before you going to Western Union to send the tansfer charge of any
Amount you have at hand out of listed mount.

Sender name:--------Frank Benson
MTCN number:-------360148476
TEXT QUESTION ---------GOD?
TEXT ANSWER ----------BLESS
AMOUNT --------$5000:00 USD

Be informed that you will have to pay the balance sum of your
activation upon cashing up of your first $5000:00 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 cash up the balance sum I want you to send the renewing
and transfer fee with the information bellow.

So use this name and Address of our Accountant officer to send any
Amount you have at hand out of listed amount bellow,

1.receiver name:...Innocent Cheta
2.country:.........Benin Republic.
3.city :...........Cotonou
4.test question:....when?
5.test answer:.....Now
6.sender name Address.....
7.amount you Sent $50.00usd, $78.00usd or $120.00 usd,send it through
Western Union Or MONEY GRAM

send us the MTCN number immediately you send the money and immediately
we confirm the transfer fee we will send you the first receipt of your
$5000:00 today and not tomorrow With best Regards contact this
+22999864328 DR.FRANK BENSON Western Union office Benin republic for
your payment Cell Phone; +22998419778. Email/ beninbank@accountant.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam