419 scam: WESTERN UNION <info@usa.org> WESTERN UNION IS NOW OFFERING A SPECIAL BONUS

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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:
- "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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "dpt_transferunionwestern@outlook.fr" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
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.
- +22999355673 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION <info@usa.org>
Reply-To: <dpt_transferunionwestern@outlook.fr>
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2017 16:54:44 +0100
Subject: WESTERN UNION IS NOW OFFERING A SPECIAL BONUS

FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER,
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 473 LEU, DE AKPAKPA ROAD.
Welcome to Western Union,
TELEPHONE: +229 99355673

ATTENTION: FUND OWNER!

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU ABOUT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT CONCERNING ALL THE PAYMENT THAT ARE LEFT IN OUR CUSTODY, WHICH YOURS ARE INCLUSIVE, IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR PAYMENT OF $10.5m USD WHICH WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM YOU FOR SOMETIME NOW.... HENCE, OUR WESTERN UNION IS NOW OFFERING A SPECIAL BONUS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2017 TO HELP ALL OUR CUSTOMERS THAT ARE HAVING THEIR PAYMENT IN OUR CUSTODY. NOTE THAT THE TRANSFER IS $5,000.00 PER DAY UNTIL THE TOTAL OF $10.5m USD IS COMPLETELY SEND TO YOU.

IN ORDER WORDS WE ARE NOW REQUESTING THAT YOU SHOULD PAY ONLY THE SUM OF $79.00 TO RECEIVE ALL THEIR PAYMENT ABANDONED IN OUR CUSTODY. THIS IS BECAUSE THE ANNIVERSARY IS AROUND THE CORNER AND WE WANT TO CLEAR OUR TRANSACTION WITH YOU BEFORE THE CELEBRATION TAKE PLACE.NOTE THAT YOUR PAYMENT FILES WILL BE RETURNED TO THE IMF WITHIN 48HOURS IF WE DID NOT HEAR FROM YOU, THIS WAS THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO US BY THE IMF.

NOTE THAT EVERY CLAIM HAS PERIOD OF TWO WORKING DAYS (2DAYS) SO YOU HAVE TO SEND THIS FEE WITHIN 48-HOURS SO THAT YOUR FUND WILL BE RELEASED TO YOU URGENTLY TO AVOID EXPIRATION.

THE REASON WHY WE NEED YOU TO SEND US THE $79.00 USD IS THAT WE TRIED TO DEDUCT THE TRANSFERRING FEE OUT FROM YOUR FUND BUT THE MINISTER ADMINISTRATOR TRUST FUND OF BENIN REPUBLIC 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 BECAUSE IF ANY ONE HAS ACCESS TO THAT IT WILL INVOLVE YOU LOOSING YOUR FUND.

THIS IS MY QUESTION DO YOU WANT TO LOSE YOUR FUNDS? IF NOT GET BACK TO US IMMEDIATELY WITH THE $79.00 OR ELSE YOU WILL LOSE YOUR FUNDS BECAUSE WE CAN NOT KEEP YOUR FUNDS IN OUR CUSTODY DURING OUR ANNIVERSARY DAY IN THIS COUNTRY WHICH IS NEXT MONTH TO COME. HERE IS THE INFORMATION TO SEND THE $79.00 AND YOU CAN EVEN BE IN THESE OFFICE TO RECEIVE YOUR OWN PAYMENT IN NEXT 24HOURS OF SUBMITTING THE PAYMENT SLIP TO US.

INFORMATION TO SEND THE NEEDED FEE OF $79.00 THROUGH WESTERN UNION:

RECEIVER'S NAME:--------JAMES ABANA
COUNTRY;............ BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY:................COTONOU
AMOUNT:........$79.00

NOTE; WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY THE IMF TO RETURN THE PAYMENT FILE WITHIN 48HOURS IF THE BENEFICIARY DID NOT COMPLY TO CLAIM HIS/HER FUNDS.

YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU COMPLETE YOUR FUND TRANSFER TODAY, SHOULD YOU WISH TO COMPLETE YOUR FUND TRANSFER WITH THE WESTERN UNION BENIN REPUBLIC, PROCEED IMMEDIATELY AND SEND THE NEEDED FEE OF $79.00 USD TO ENABLE US COMPLETE YOUR FUND TRANSFER TODAY.

REGARDS
MR. GODWIN OBODO
FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
EMAIL: dpt_transferunionwestern@outlook.fr

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam