419 scam: WESTERN UNION AGENT <williampowell071@gmail.com> Attention Dear Beneficiary Very Urgent

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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. )
- "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. )
- "united state dollar" (this email uses bad English)
- "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.
- +22969855318 (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.
- wwwwesternunion0007@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: WESTERN UNION AGENT <williampowell071@gmail.com>
Reply-To: wwwwesternunion0007@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2022 13:07:32 +0100
Subject: Attention Dear Beneficiary Very Urgent

Attention Dear Beneficiary Very Urgent

We wish to inform you that the United Nations Organization (UN) has
taking over the Inheritance/contract payment issue in which you
presently have with your transaction agents. Your funds was withdrawn
by UN on your behalf based on the fact that you were subjected to too
many process that will make you spend more money before receiving your
funds. Your Inheritance/Winning payment was paid out to the United
Nations Organization, and they have succeeded in depositing your funds
with us.

They have ordered Western Union Money Transfer to take full
responsibility in the transfer process of your funds, and we have
received your application for the first installment of $5,000USD from
the total amount of $1,320,000.00 USD,One Million three Hundred and
twenty thousand United States Dollars.

Below is your first installment payment that was sent today for you to pick up:

Money Transfer Control Number (M.T.C.N):MTCN 758 800 5288
Question: In God
Answer: We trust
Amount Sent: $5000

And to prove this right to you, your first installment payment of
$5,000.00 (Five Thousand United State Dollars) has been sent. We
would require that you click on the link
(https://www.westernunion.com/global-service/track-transfer) and
follow required, click I'm the receiver and enter the MTCN control
number as well click continue to confirm the transfer.

Note: You cannot pick up the funds yet because our commission /
transfer charges has not been paid to us, for this simple reason your
name has not yet been activated as the receiver of the funds. All that
is required of you now before receiving your first installment payment
is to proceed to the nearest Western Union Money Transfer outlet and
then request to send $105 USD to us through the western union money
transfer with the below information's:

Receiver's Name. Fred Boyen

COUNTRY: BENIN REPUBLIC

CITY: COTONOU

Text Question: Today

Text Answer: Yes

Your first installment will be released after (2) hours and shall be
made payable to you after we received the transfer charges for the
$5,000.00 Five Thousand United State Dollars we have just sent to you.
And for each $5,000.00 USD transferred to you, you will only have to
pay the $105 USD before collection. Please note that we cannot deduct
the transfer charges from your funds because we were not authorized by
UN to do so. Your complete $1,320,000.00USD was deposited to us by the
Attorney to the United Nations Organization, and the funds must reach
you in its fullest.

Please proceed with the above payment instructions fill in the under
listed details for confirmation:

1. Sender Names: ?
2. Sender Address: ?
3. Amount Sent: ?
4. Money Transfer Control Number: ?

We await your activation fee today, so you can start receiving your
installment payment as from today. You can also send us a scan copy of
the payment slip.

Yours truly,

Fred Boyen
Western Union Payment Officer
Email(wwwwesternunion0007@gmail.com)
Direct Line: +229 6985 5318
Western Union region/United Nations.
Copyright Â© 2013 Western Union. All Rights RÃ©serve

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam