Securing Your Western Union Money Transfer.
I was advised that there was a scam Posted on The InterPost.
After further investigation I have found out how the scam works and how you can prevent it from happening to you.
I have been advised that when you transfer funds using Western Union, you get a unique code (a sort of confirmation or ID code for the transfer).
This code is all that is required to get the funds. So in the most simplest terms it’s a bit like writing a cheque and signing it and leaving the name blank on the cheque and then Western Union holding onto this cheque until someone claims it by giving them the cheque number.
So the simplest way to protect the example of the cheque is to only give the cheque number to someone that you trust to receive the funds and use them as you intended.
In the same way, only give the Western Union transfer code to someone that you trust.
The scam in this case is whereby someone is asking for money for something that they are selling and requesting funds using Western Union to ensure that you have the funds and that they are not being messed around in terms of “pretend interest” and time wasting for what they are selling, with a promise to pay back the funds once they have been convinced of the interest, by which time the funds could be taken from Western Union and the sender may not ever meet the person taking the funds.
In this case, the scam seems to have been posted on many websites including The InterPost, Craig’s List, Gum Tree, and perhaps other sites that I do not know of and especially using the personal rate number 07024072991. So beware of handing over any money when this number has been advertise as the contact number.
Here is a message by the person requesting money using Western Union so that you get the idea of how your money could be taken and you not actually receiving what you pay for.
Hello steve
thank you for the assurance of the one month and 6 weeks deposit funds. I understand how much you proving to me that you truly have the funds for the apartment. if i understand you quite okay.I just needed to be sure i am renting the apartment to the right person who can meet up with my requirements and not a timewasters.the apartment belongs to me..the lease are 3months minimum and 2years maximum
I was discussing with my colleague about the idea on how i will be so sure that i will not be coming down to London on a futile exercise and she advised that we can work out something via Western Union.
Here is the process;
Proceed to Western Union Location. You can check nearest location from
https://www.westernunion.co.uk
Collect a TRANSFER FORM from the location.
Transfer from: YOUR NAME
Transfer to: YOUR SPOUSE OR YOUR CLOSE FRIEND
And complete any additional information in the form.
Submit the form and pay the money at the location.
There after, Scan the receipt collected from Western Union
You can not be the SENDER and RECIEVER at the same time
Scan the receipt collected from the Western Union to me. Once you scan the receipt, i will contact Western Union and confirm if truly the funds are available with western union customer careline. Thereafter, you shall collect your money back via the receiver.
I will be coming over the next day after you might have Scan the receipt.
You will be charged minimal fee for transfering the funds and i promise to pay the money back to you once we meet.
I will get the contract ready for you to sign if you like to take the Flat after viewing and the keys will be handed over to you immediately after contract. Receipt of payment will be issued to you after which you have sign the lease agreement form.
REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE ONLY TRANSFER THE FUNDS TO YOUR SPONSE OR YOUR CLOSE FRIEND AND NOT ME, PLEASE GET ME VERY CLEARLY, I NEVER ASKED YOU TO TRANSFER THE MONEY TO ME.
I only want to be sure that you have the money at your disposal and this is the only way i can be convienced that you have the money at hand.INTENDING TENANTS HAVE DECEIVED ME ALOT.A copy of a bank references,payslip,references from former landlord would have been okay for me to have a guarantee that you have the funds available,but i have had a bad experiences through this so i really dont want to go through them anymore.But i am very sure the pictures of flat you saw on the website are the ones of the flat i am trying to rent out to you and also the flat you are about to view,so there is no way you wont like the flat when you love the pictures.Lol.
You don’t need any assistance than the way i have explained to you.
If truely you need the flat and you are willing and able to pay for the flat,then kindly proceed to Western Union location and complete the transaction.You can give me a call on 07024072991 for confirmation.
Regards
James
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I have 12 Comments to the above Post:
I had the same thing happen to me today. I placed an add on Gumtree that I was looking for a flat to rent and two people responded. One Girl and a Guy. They showed me amazing pictures of the most beautiful flat you can think of. I got so excited and replied to them. After the 3rd email from both of them I just got a feeling that something is not right. This was because they just spoke about money and both spoke about the fact that they have been messed around by previous tenants and therefore spoke to a colleague who suggested Western Union Transfer. I had to ask 3 times before the one gave me an address but it was wrong as she told me the place was in Surbiton and all of a sudden the address was in Islington. HA HA. They both had the excuse that there phone line is broken and they did not bother to get it fixed as they are leaving to another country for 4 years. I was so disappointed. One thing I learned was that if it looks to good to be true it probably is.
This is what he told me after I asked him for an address and said to him that it all sounds to complicated:
Of course i can understand your situation but i want you to understand that am not asking you to pay prior to viewing the property.
Am only making a request you can make a transaction with Western Union so i can confirm funds are available before i book my flight ticket and also to confirm you more serious tenant this time around a have wasted my time in the past,i told you about this.
You can make the transfer to your friends name(Money sent anywhere in the UK can also be picked up in England,they dont use the receivers address) so when am around and we have reached agreements,you can pick up the money for me at a nearby office.
All you need to do is go make the transaction with cash at their nearest office making thm understand you need to send the funds to a friend of yours as a matter of urgency and they would do it for you.I just need to look up the valid transaction status at the website link below.
https://wumt.westernunion.com/asp/orderStatus.asp?country=global
For your convenience,you can deduct the charges for the transfer from the total,i would reimburse you the transfer charges if you taking the apartment or not but am sure you would love it.I dont want to get involved in your bank details before we meet in person,thats why i prefer it done this way.Am very sorry for any inconvenience.
I would be traveling soon,i would so much appreciate the viewing takes place as soon as possible.
I would appreciate if you can grant my request,am very serious about this and hope things go on well.
Henry.
I hope everyone sees this and does not get caught by these losers.
Kind Regards
ReplyThe other person contacting me was the one below. This is what she said:
laurahay34@yahoo.com
Hi,
Thanks for your email and i like the way you sound.This is how i want you to show me that you are capable of paying your rent so that i will be 100% sure before i can show and hold the place for you.
The proof will be through Money transfer.You will Transfer the First Month rent plus security refundable deposit to Someone you Trust(Friend,Family or Partner).The Person will be the only person that can collect the money.I am not asking you to pay any money to me until we meet.i am only requesting for a proof.You will notify me once you make the transfer and i will verify it from them.I will mail you as soon as i verify the transaction and you tell the receiver or the person you make the transfer to go ahead to collect the money back .
However,western union money transfer will require commission fee,the commission fee will be remove from your first month rent,when we meet and you dont like what you see,which i know is not possible the commission fee will be refunded back to you in cash on the spot.
I hope you understand what i am try to pass across to you,you will make the transfer on the name of someone you know and trust.
Let me know what you think so that we can loose this tie and meet.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Regards,
Laura
I hope this helps the next person being scammed by these vultures.
ReplyOMG I received the same exact email after I posted an ad on Gumtree!! This is so horrible, I thought they were being truthful and then they just started writing that s*** about transfers and previous tenants and trips to London and phones to be fixed!!
These are the email addresses:
gkristy87@yahoo.com
j_mus112_flat@yahoo.com
hcoll122@yahoo.com
So guys, DO NOT TRUST those that contact you regarding a flat to rent and then they don’t answer the questions you ask them, and they just talk about previous bad experience and the necessity for you to make the money transfer!!!
ReplyWell said Pauline, they are VULTURES indeed!
PLEASE YOU ARE NOT DOING TRANSFER FROM GHANA AND I WANT TO FIND OUT WHY BECAUSE IS VERY HARD FOR US TO TRANSFER MONEY TO ABROAD
ReplyTHANK YOU
I got similar emails for the ads posted on Gumtree. I got saved from this blog. Thanks very much. Below are the fraud email ids..
louisehay23@yahoo.com
Replyfrancisnobly@yahoo.com
Thank you mbk for your kind words.
All, please take note of this post and all it’s comments to date.
ReplyHere are 2 more, to avoid at all costs:
p.stubart@gmail.com
davidclifford51@yahoo.com
Also, one thing is that these people are not very clever. I tried to ask them for the logic behind doing this (anyone could borrow some money and transfer it, it doesn’t prove anything). Then it was obvious it was a scam.
ReplyThis guy has a too good to be true flat in Brighton with exact scenario..
Michael Williams michaelwill009@hotmail.com
Vultures indeed
ReplyThanks for posting this! I know this is old but it’s still useful.
I’ll add to the ignore list a Mr. James Hunter: huntmana2@yahoo.com
The occasional poor grammar and unusual expressions are a tip off. I got “we welcome you with open arms” and “try and understand my plight” Also, the first tip off before western union was even mentioned was after wanting to know more about me as a tenant, he asked who was my: Person(s) to Notify in emergency:?
Relationship with this Person:??
Why in the world would you need to know this is as a distant landlord?
One email, in the event they copy paste:
Its good to hear from you again. I and my wife took time out to go through a bulk of replies we got from our craigs list posting to ensure that we respond to the serious and qualified ones. The apartment is vacant as we speak, you are likely to be our first tenant if it goes well. move in is at our agreement, we dont have a fixed date. I will likely be in NY this week as my permit is in process so i will keep you posted as soon as It is granted.
You are most welcomed, our arms are wide open to receive you.
Have a blessed sunday.
HUNTER
____
Shame. It was a beautiful apartment. Another post should be on ideas for how to scam a scammer. Thanks again!
ReplyHi Lis,
Thanks for sharing your experience and especially your desire to create ideas of how to scam a scammer. However I do not feel that this is the right approach – what does help is simply telling scammers and others the truth. However any other suggestions would be welcomed.
And by simply commenting on the post, you have freshened already freshened it.
ReplySorry Henry, for the late publishing of your comment – I simply didn’t see it until Lis just recently commented.
ReplyI too have had trouble in my flat search.
Give away signs are rent that is a little too cheap for the area; no mention of lease length; inconsistent or lack of location; unusual English combined with a typical name; kind but not helpful in terms of getting a viewing; becoming insistant, desperate or angry over proof of financial ability.
Personally I’d recommend paying the extra for a letting agency or moving into a flatshare after seeing a viewing.
Reply