I am the first person on here who will tell you to watch out for scams, dont fall for this and that. I am aware of many scams, but I have recieved an ewmail that has me puzzled. I received an email stating I had won some money. Now, I get these all the time and if I believed them ,I would be a trillionare right now.They all tell me to western union a certain amount to someone,yea right!
Well, this email says that the money has been western unioned to me, listed the pick up number, secret word, etc. So I am baffled. Has anyone heard of this scam before? How are they pulling this one off?
I really wanna go pick up this money,im so broke! BUT YES I know its a scam, just wondering how they are doing it!
[question posted by erikmama]
responses and comments:
If this kind of email comes to me, I will pick up the phone, and talk to a police officer, then forward the email to him, let him investigate. If the email contains any form of virus or anything, I rather that it infects his computer and not mine. The police has the resources and time to track all these nonsense. If the police refuses to entertain me, then the next best is to forward to the national newspaper. [scheng1]
I can't agree more with the above post. Don't mess with it! They could be downloading something to your computer to track what you do online, including online banking, etc. I'd definately forward it to the police, if not them throw it to the media. They'd have a field day with it! [rjblueyes]
Yes, it's a scam. Many emails have been sent to my inbox and yes, I didn't hesitate to delete it. There are times that I would get an email saying that I've won in a certain lottery but man, I never really joined any online lottery, so how can I win? Another, these email may get your personal information including your bank account and passwords if there are any stored in your computer. This is the main thing of hackers. Please just send it to police if you have time because they should be the one responsible for these people. [pjsr18]
Yeah could be, some people out their just waste their time trying to figure out ways to make other people waste their time :/ [aznrice69]
You may be smart enough to know it's a scam, but some people are NOT! My cousin's friend received an email saying it was from her bank and asked for her credit card number and stuff, well the friend gave the info and afterwards she knew she did something wrong! I believe when you get these emails you can report them online to consumer fraud websites. I think you can even report them to the better business bureau. [roseyroser]
no, that cant be it...i am suppose to go pick up the cash from any western union. I dont believe to pick one up you have to give any personal info other than name and address...i posted a portionof the email i received...checkit out [erikmama]
hello erikmama, have also experienced that. not only in email but also in my text. they are requiring me to do something before claiming it. i know this is scam for i never joined anything. doing something for them did not occur to my mind doing it. rather ignore that. better than being scammed. [robert19ph]
i posted part of the email i recieved on here thanks [erikmama]
How odd. Have you tried searching online to see if anyone else has received similar messages? I don't really see how they can make money off this... [inedible]
I have tried everything I can and nothing is coming up. But it says it has been picked up. So I contacted Western Union and see if they can explain it to me. I wanna know now mopre than ever! [erikmama]
The way I see it, you should contact the Feds. They have a division for this kind of stuff. If it turns out okay, you get the money. If it isn't, you helped catch a criminal. [benhilo]
I would still give the Feds a chance. Have you called Western Union directly. When I was expecting money from WU, I would call first, giving my name to see if there was anything is their system. Many times when I got email regarding WU, I'll call them. [benhilo]
hi erikmama! If this doesn't turnout to be an outright scam, then the intention is mostly likely to get your trust and attention by an international syndicate that deals with bank account/credit card theft. What they do is transfer the money to another country using western union just like in your case. They like western union because the transaction is almost untraceable because there is no account verification that takes place between the sender and the receiver. Once they have established contact with you, you will then be asked to receive money again and deduct a certain percentage (as your commission) and send it to a new name and address that they will give you (also thru western union). Before you know it, they'll be sending you packages like camera, laptop, ipods, etc., probably purchased from stolen credit cards. Again, you'll be asked to send it to a certain address and you'll be paid thru western union. The reason I mentioned it's almost untraceable is that some people were already caught and that is their story. While the offer is too tempting, you definitely don't want to be an accessory to the crime, do you? If I were you, I would completely ignore all emails that pertains to offering money especially if it came from someone you really don't know. [jonasbsl]
jonasbsl is right, this is a money laundering scam. you probably would make some money, but you would probably do ten years in a federal prison, too. Not really worth the trouble, eh? [kelleynichole84]
Hello happy Firstly I have to say, being in the UK we don't have Western Union offices here so I do not know how they work. Maybe if you did go to pick it up, there could be some sort of charge before you got the funds ? If you then paid that charge using Western Union would the people that sent the email receive any of your details, even small details? Did you contact Western Union at all? It would be interesting to see what they had to say about it as they would have come across this before if it is a new type of scam. Hope you can figure it out. [sunnysmiles]
I am not familiar with the Western Union as I dont use it often but I dont believe you have to pay to pick it up. Im not sure. thanks! [erikmama]
if i were you,i would never believe this type of thing can happen to me,i don't have any habits to buy the lottery on line or take part in some activities online to get some gifts or money!it is obviously a scam!just ignore it! [cheriezhao]
I am going to ignore it, just want to find out how they are doing it! Thanks for responding! [erikmama]
Why not call your local Western Union pick up location and ask them to check it for you? As long as you don't have to provide personal information or click on any links, what's the harm in calling to check? Many online contests don't hold their drawings for many months, sometimes years. Perhaps you entered something some time ago. It would be a shame to let it go when you can verify it with a phone call. You might also do a google search on the source of the email and see if the site looks familiar. Let us know the outcome. [firemom31]
It is nothing that I entered, plus with the email, you can tell it is not something legit.I did post the email on here if you want to check it out. I sent Western Union a email and when I checked their site it said it had been picked up. So I do not know! [erikmama]
This is what I would do. You can't do it now as it is already open although I'd do it anyway just to be sure. Scan it before opening it if your AV doesn't auto scan emails. Ring your local WU office and ask them as it is probably some scam but you never know. They will know as your money will be on their system if genuine. If it is false report it as a scam and re set your email filters. [mike197601]
I emailed WU and they told me to read their priovacy terms and stuff, no help at all! I did not scan it, though I should start doing this. I have since forgotten about it. I have received a few more similar emails since, but these all tell me to contact a number that is suppose to be western union! [erikmama]
it is safe to assume that all such emails are scams. but this is a first of its kind i have heard. you can do one thing - contact (on phone) the western union helpline as ask them for the status of the said pickup number. and also ask them if there are any terms and conditions attached to it. this way you can confirm for yourself if this is a scam or not. [sunny68]
No doubt it is a scam. i am just wondering how they're pulling it off! [erikmama]
I've heard of similar scams that involve the victim receiving money and that is what makes people go for it. They figure if they receive money how can it be a scam? Well the scam is you get the money alright and then you just give the perpetrator his cut. It turns out that you are part of a fraud and since it was your bank the money went into, you're left holding the bag. I have to admit that I've never heard of how it works with Western Union. Usually you're given a cheque to deposit, then you pay the "handling fee" or whatever they call it to the thief. These international cheques take so long to verify the thief is long gone. Then the cheque bounces or worse, it was a stolen cheque or something like that. If you had any money in your account to start with, you lose that to cover the costs of the phony cheque. xoxo Cyne [CynergyDiva]
I am aware of these scams, but this is not one of those. All I had to do was pick up the cash from Western Union. I posted the email I got onhere if you want to checkit out. I am still trying to figure it out, but so far, no luck! [erikmama]
erikmaama oh they do it,if you go to pick it up with the number'and ' secret word and any other stuff,you will find a letter asking you to send an outrageous amount of money to an address given as some 'sort of tax or whatever. if you do send the money you will be out that money and you will never hear from them again. trust me its a scam. you will be asked for money for some silly reason.yes I would love to go pick up some money too but they will have no money for you. [Hatley]
Thank you!! I know it is a scam, but I have been wondering how it works. This make sense!! [erikmama]
Surely this is another scam email . I just wonder how they will cheat you . Just wait until western union . If they ask you to transfer money to them that means they are cheating. I think every one of us get a lot of such emails almost every day . Usually i just delete it . There is no free meals as a saying says here. Don't trust it otherwise you will get cheated. [grace118224]
Yea, I know ir is a scam, just trying to figure out how they are doin it! [erikmama]