Western Union Fraud

Please refrain from using Western Union for ANY transaction. We recommend meeting with the seller with the title of the car.

SAMPLE FRAUD EMAIL BELOW
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Hello,
If you really like the car but you don't trust an escrow, I have something SAFE and fast for you because I want you to be sure that you will receive the car and I hope we will collaborate in the future too. You will make the $1900 transfer to my location(Leeds, United Kingdom) but not to my name (you will use your best friends name for example George Bush as receiver's name) so you can be sure that I will not pick up the money until you get the car; so you make a deposit at Western Union and you will give me the transfer's details (SENDER'S NAME AND MTCN) so I can check that the deposit was made.
After I verify it I will book a flight and meet you. Only after you will receive the car and check it if it OK, you will have to change the receiver's name of the transfer to my name so I can collect my money. So until you will have the car in your hands the money will be deposited on your best friend's name at Western Union Agency. I think it is better to not inform Western Union that you will change the receivers name in a few days because it is possible they ask you to pay the fees twice (fees that are quite big for such an amount),also when you go to a Western Union office to make the transfer,please don't tell there the reason you send the money because here in this country I must pay some additional taxes when I receive the funds. Please say you send the money to your friends or to your partner.
If you agree with these terms, let me know and I will be more than glad to start and complete the transaction with you. Thank you and I hope that you will have the pleasure to drive this car.
I am waiting your answer ASAP.
Thank you and kindly regards!

Comments

[Mike McNally]

There is a new fraud Western Union is engaging in. It is quite cute and it works like this.

The sender sends money from the U.S. In my particular case it was from the Stop and Shop, Woodbury New York. The sender asks for the "Money Transfer Control Number." The application for the receiver notes this on the form as "Money Transfer Control Number(if available)"

The Western Union agent at the Stop and Shop doesn't have a clue about the "Money Transfer Control Number" but proceeds to get on the phone and after twenty minutes returns and says everything is "kosher" you don't need a Money Transfer Control Number, the person recieving the money just needs to show proper ID.

Well, if you are sending money to Thailand, as in my particualar case, Western Union Thailand won't lift a finger to find the transfer without the number. The transfer sits in Western Unions bank for how long? Perhaps the sender and reciever give up and then what happens to the money?

The transfer is advertised as getting to the sender in hours. It has now been 4 days and nobody has a clue where the funds are because there is no Money Transfer Control Number "(if available)"

In times of recession the fraud just get bigger and bigger. Western Union is such a brand name how could they engage is such scams? I guess I will have to send a letter to Bernie Madoff to get his opinion.

[Gerwin van Loon]

See below example of a Seller (Arno Zeith) of a Saab Cabrio 9.3. This was also a fake Seller!!!

Hello there ,

As you already know I am in England now and the car is also with me in England.
This was my personal car in Germany and I do not need it anymore here because i have liquidated my affairs in Germany.

Here is how we can start this deal together :

~ I do not need NO advance payment done to me until we meet and you see my car and inspect it ! ~

But because i will have to bring the car to you first , i can not put myself on the road until i will have a warranty that will prove me that you are really serious !

~ Here is EXACTLY how I propose you to make a safe deal :

1.You must go to the nearest Western Union service ( this is a cash transfer service - www.westernunion.com ) this service is found inside all bank offices or postal offices .
2.You must deposit 30% of the price of the car ( 3500 euro ) as a warranty of your good intentions !

Note: THIS TRANSFER YOU WILL NOT WIRE TO ME !

~~ Example ~~

Receiver : Your best friend name

Address: Just put England as country and as address

3. You will provide me only Sender name and MTCN number , but the Receiver name you will not give it to me !!

4.After you deposit the money you will receive a receipt ( your Send Money Form - paper copy ) - you must scan it and send it back to me in Jpeg-format. In this way I can make sure that the warranty has been deposited correctly and I will see you don't want to cheat me !

~ I had previous bad experiences that force me to take this kind of methods ~

5.Once I received the scanned receipt from you and i see all is ok , I will IMMEDIATELY bring the car to your location in order to meet in 2 days Max.
6.After i will come to you , you will inspect the car and all its papers.
7.If all is OK, we will have to go at Western Union and cancel the warranty transfer and you give me the Total Amount ( if you do not like my car , you will not purchase it - i will not ask no money ! )

~~~ And our deal ends there ! ~~~

~ It's a very simple and safe deal for both of us !
~ Your big advantage: you can inspect the car before you pay me the money directly and also i will have a little warranty to see and reassure me of your seriousness !

If this is ok for you please call me fast or email me asap !


Here's my phone no. : 0044 703 180 3080 ( Monday to Friday 8AM to 8PM )

I'll wait for your answer.


Yours sincerely,