Western Union MTCN yahoo yahoo boys and the mugu A partnership of Criminals
A typical 419 procedure
1.send out bulk email aka spam with a suitable (format) Charity,abacha family,Lottery etc
2. get a reply from a mugu/maga
3.Con maga/mugu/maye the 419 process (carry phone,wash wash process, etc )
4. Maga sends money to you posing as a british resident via western union
5.The Western Union Agent (a Scammer) recieves a text/call from the scammer in Nigeria with the details of the WU txn like the name ,amount,control number makes forged documents like a passport or drivers license. He fills the form and signs it !
6.Western union gets paid a commision for the transaction .The agent gets a commission from WU for the transaction
WU comes for periodic checks and forewarns the agent as they need time to get their books ready .
Western Union has long been known to be a conduit for the transfer of illegal sums of money by all kinds of scammers and conmen
This institiution for what it is worth has not been known to have any ties or alliances with instigators of these nefarious acts
until the advent of the Nigerian 419 phenomenom. As far back as 1999 Nigerian scammers have routed their scam proceeds through western union
to nigerian cities and agents based in Nigeria.
but with time as the advance fee fraud became international it attached an iconic stigma to nigeria , The losers or conned or mugu/maga/maye or the Americanised slang for them suckers, became smarter and were quick to protest if requested to send funds through WU to nigeria. This was not good for business
and a solution had to be found .Root of the problem was the location of these WU agents .How about setting up WU agents in the UK ?
How about it !
Quickly as this was a matter of money and Nigerians are known to rise to the task immediately if it involved quick cash. Nigerian UK residents initially
made aquaintancers with WU Agents and a deal was struck .Most WU agents were Asian and not privy to the money making 419 empire took percentage cuts in being
recievers of these sums .
After steps 1-6 is over the Agent owner who gets about 5percent of the recived money natuarally becomes the winner in this deal as the volume of transaction
grows exponentially with cash recieved and per se per se infinitum admitum The need for such WU agents to be Nigerians gained ground and thereabouts became mainstream
WU began to grant approvals for WU agents to small businesses like Hairdressers,corner grocery shops etc and the WU agencies slowly shifted to Nigerians and a small stream of Ghanaians within the African community in the UK
.This began the golden age of western union as business for these dummy WU agents grew so did commisions for WU grow also as it was a double commision transaction for most
deals as they had to be routed through WU in the UK and then through WU to Nigeria (to the original scammers) each leg of this txn accruing a commision payable to WU and the WU agent it self. !
Easy as stealing money from a baby.
But Then WU started to get complaints fron the mugus and magas and not wanting to be the spoilsports decided to investigate and what they found was alarming !
There was indeed serious 419 money laundering going through them !
Reprisal time you would think ? hmmmmmm yes uh uh .. hell no ! some of these Agents with ghost Receivers were pulling in close to a 100,000pounds a day and with WU charging at least 5percent.One of these shops was taking care of area targets !
How can a small barber shop have a footfall of twenty people all day yet you received over a 100,000pounds about 25million naira ! and sent about 60percent of these funds to Nigeria ! and WU does nothing ?
Well no The art of stealing can be elevated to the art of stealing aiding & abetting,error of omission and making it legal according to the laws of the land .WU pays tax to the UK and this is good money for the Her majestys Revenue and customs. The british poliuce largely ignores these activities and focus more on the drug threat and gang violence which is more ruinous to their society as it generates little or no tax .. If this was not so why do they sit back and watch WU prtner with scammers.
To keep this credible,WU then went on a public flogging and suspended a few agents over non compliance received through them and then the inverse inquisition began as WU area managers went around “educating” their agents on how to detect fraud they were perpetrating ! LOL ! !!!!(laugh out loud !)
Competition:
Then money transfer became very competitive as more and more people got into the money transfer business and Companies like Fexco another WU derivative and Moneygram became very active in taking a market share in International Transfer.MG or mama gee as moneygram is known got into the market and gave licenses to these corner shops in an attempt to beat WU .MG is American and their Standards and policies are quite strict towards laundry.
As at 2007 there was a steady crop of American Mugus who preferred to send money via MG as they became wary of WU any Nigerian MG agent therefore had a gold mine sitting in his laps and the MG was reserved for such stubborn mugus.by mid to late 2008 MG introduced another set of guidelines to check Passports and other ID of individuals and required a photocopy of the ID sent in for every transaction.Nigerians not to be outdone were more than ready to make fake ID which cost about 40pounds each. This cost was borne by the scammer who sent in the the MG Message control number (MTCN) or “control “ as it is called by scammers. Then the big shock came as Mugus began giving feedback to MG who did a thorough audit of their Agents branches and found that a good number of them in the peckham,dalston,woolwich,canning town areas were actively involved in the money laundry of 419 scam proceeds.
MG quickly closed down such shops and instated new controls that required the id cards to be passports and had to be verified first on line via their databases .That was the beginning of the end of MG for the scammers .
Western Unions Reaction
Major compertition out of the way WU re embarked on their Anti Fraud campaign but this time with a twist as specific Agents were Forewarned of audit and assurance days which contravened the policies of surprise audit checks by WU audit dept. A certain Area manager in east london used to
Call the 419 WU agents and warn them when they were coming for audit checks.
Not all money sent via WU to Nigeria is fraudulent but about 85percent of regular funds recived by the same persons is as there are companies who charge even much cheaper than WU and offer the same service. Any Bank in Nigeria that acts as a WU agent should be wary of the same individuals who keep coming to recive WU.In most cases they are fraudsters and scammers !
Who are those involved:
It is one thing to be a yahoo yahoo boy in Nigeria but a completely different thing to get the proceeds in nigeria.Lets assume the mugu sends 1000pounds(150,000naira) the Agents take about 5-10percent depending . There are “control” pimps who act as intermediaries between the yahoo boys in nigeria and the WU 419agents in england.A lot of these WU agents are Business centres and Cybercafes owned by respectable nigerians who act as fronts for WU. They are usually located in busy spots to fool people into thinking they are doing legit business and another way to detect them is if you want to recive legit WU money they usually decline as they tend to hold on to cash as much as possible.But if you want to send money legitimately they are your best friends as they need the cash to pay off local “control pimps” in the uk.It is a very intense accounting business.
1.A steady crop of young Nigerian student studying in the UK do this as full time jobs and are liviing very large on the proceeds .Our sources indicate that slowly ladies are being initiated into this new form of Trading in MTCN.In short one of the target shops a lady came and was enquiring if they do control as she had yahoo yahoo boys connections in nigeria .
2.There are reports of it being a family business in some locations as audit checks require a complete rewriting of the send and receive forms with different handwriting and signatures and in some cases madam and kids are called in to the family business as charity begins at home and anyway they are more trustworthy !
3.A list of individuals and shops trading in london and thriving with pictures and conversations is to be published after this article.Please stay Tuned
How can you identify a scammer?
Four Signs That It’s a Scam
Scammers PRETEND to be from an organization you know. Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of the government. …
Scammers say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE. …
Scammers PRESSURE you to act immediately. …
Scammers tell you to PAY in a specific way.
Will a romance scammer meet you in person?
Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites. The scammer’s intention is to establish a relationship as quickly as possible, endear himself to the victim, and gain trust. Scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but that will never happen
Tips for Avoiding Romance Scams:
Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.
Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.
Money Mules: A Financial Crisis
WHAT IS A MONEY MULE?
Any individual who transfers funds, on behalf of, or at the direction of another. Money mules are recruited to assist criminals with laundering proceeds from illegal activity and are often promised easy money for their participation in moving funds by various methods including:
Cryptocurrency
Physical currency (cash)
Bank transfers (wires, ACH, EFT)
Money services businesses
Pre-paid cards
WAYS MONEY MULES ARE RECRUITED
Unsolicited emails or other communications requesting to open a bank account, cryptocurrency wallet, or business in their name
Romance/confidence scams
Employment scams promising easy money
Non-payment/non-delivery scams
Lottery scams where personal information is collected
MONEY MULE: COMPLICITY
Unwitting or unknowing mules: not aware that they are involved in a bigger criminal scheme. These individuals are typically recruited via scams such as romance scams or more recently, employment scams due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally, these individuals genuinely believe they are helping someone who is acting as their romantic partner or employer.
Witting mules: ignore warning signs of criminal activity or are willfully blind to the financial activity they are participating in. They may have received warnings from bank personnel but continue to open multiple accounts. These individuals generally begin as an unwitting mule.
Complicit mules: aware of their role as a money mule and complicit in the larger criminal scheme. They might regularly open bank accounts at various institutions with the intention of receiving illicit funds or openly advertise their services as a money mule and actively recruit others.
WHO IS AT RISK?
Anyone can be recruited to be a money mule; however, targeted populations include the elderly, college-aged students, and newly immigrated individuals. Cyber-expertise or knowledge is not required the money mule will be directed how to open accounts and process various transactions.
RECENT TRENDS
In 2020 into 2021, the IC3 received an increase in complaints relating to COVID-19 related fraud and online scams involving cryptocurrency, such as business email compromises, extortion, employment scams and confidence/romance scams. The increases in these scams could be the result of isolation due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, the loss of employment due the COVID-19, and increases in remote work which allowed criminals to instruct money mules to provide copies of their personal information online.
Money mules were also asked to provide copies of their personal information or to directly open cryptocurrency accounts and wallets as part of online scams such as romance fraud, extortion, non-payment/non-delivery, or investment scams. These accounts opened in the money mule’s name could then be later used in other scams to target victims of business email compromises, tech support, and other online scams.
CONSEQUENCES FOR ACTING AS A MONEY MULE
Individuals acting as money mules are putting themselves at risk for identity theft, personal liability, negative impacts on credit scores, and the inability to open bank accounts in the future. Furthermore, they and their families could be threatened by criminals with violence if they do not continue to work as a money mule.
In addition, these individuals face prison sentences, a fine or community service, even if unwitting. Particularly in the United States, potential Federal charges include: Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, Money Laundering, Transactional Money Laundering, Prohibition of Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business, and Aggravated Identity Theft. These charges come with fines reaching $1,000,000 and up to 30 years in prison.
TIPS FOR PROTECTION
If you believe you are being used as a money mule:
STOP communicating with the suspected criminal
STOP transferring funds or items of value
Maintain receipts, contact information, and communications (emails, text messages, voicemails) so the information may be passed to law enforcement
Notify your bank or payment provider
Notify Law Enforcement. Report suspicious activity to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov and contact your local FBI field office
To prevent yourself from being recruited as a money mule:
Do not accept job offers that ask you to receive company funds into your personal account or ask you to open a business bank account
Be suspicious if a romantic partner asks you to receive or transfer funds from your account
Do not provide your financial details to anyone (e.g., bank account information, logins, passwords)
Do not provide copies of your identification documents to anyone (e.g., driver’s license, social security number)
Conduct online searches to corroborate any information provided to you
Reach out to your financial institution with banking questions or concerns about financial transactions in your account
For additional information on Money Mules, please view:
Fraud types
While the internet has connected us to more information than ever, today’s digital age has made it easier for scammers to perpetrate their fraudulent activity. From faux social media postings to password phishing for financial accounts, scammers have found countless ways to get their hands on other peoples’ money.
They use any means to contact victims—telephone, snail mail, email, and the Internet.
They gain your trust and when they have you hooked, they ask you for money; then they take it and run.
The scenarios they use to lure you in change, constantly. But you can protect yourself and your friends and family by arming yourself with knowledge of the most common types of fraud.
Stay Informed
Western Union is helping to protect consumers from falling victim to money transfer scams through education and awareness.
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Type of scams
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam
Anti-Virus scam
Charity scam
Emergency scam
Employment scam
Extortion
Fake Check scam
Grandparent scam
Identity Theft
Immigration scam
Internet Purchase scam
Lottery / Prize scam
Money-Flipping scam
Military
Mystery Shopping scam
Overpayment scam
Phishing
Relationship scam
Rental Property scam
Social Networking scam
SMS/Smishing
Tax scam
Telemarketing
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam
Victim is asked to pay upfront fees for financial services which are never provided. Victims often send a succession of transactions for payment of various upfront fees. Common methods could include: credit card, grants, loans, inheritance, or investment.
Associated with:
Tax scam, Telemarketing, Immigration scam, Charity scam, Social Networking scam, Fake Check scam, Grandparent scam
Articles:
4 ways to protect yourself against advanced fee and prepayment scams, Study Up on Student Scams
Anti-Virus scam
Victim is contacted by someone claiming they are from a well-known computer or software company and a virus has been detected on the victim’s computer. The victim is advised that the virus can be removed and the computer protected for a small fee with a payment by either credit card or a money transfer. In reality, there was no virus on the computer and the victim has just lost the money they sent for the protection.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Identity Theft, Phishing
Article:
5 Ways to protect yourself from tech scams
Charity scam
The victim is often contacted by email, mail or phone by someone asking for a donation to be sent by money transfer to an individual to help victims of a recent current event, such as a disaster or emergency (such as a flood, cyclone, or earthquake). Legitimate charity organizations will never ask for donations to be sent to an individual through a money transfer service.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Phishing, SMS/Smishing
Articles:
Western Union and Better Business Bureau Warn of Charity Scams During Giving Season, 6 tips for avoiding charity scams
Emergency scam
Victim is led to believe that they are sending funds to assist a friend or loved one in urgent need. Victim sends the money with urgency as the victim’s natural concern for a loved one is exploited.
Associated with:
Grandparent scam, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam
Article:
Western Union and Better Business Bureau Partner to Protect Consumers from Emergency Scam
Employment scam
Victim responds to a job posting and is hired for the fictitious job and sent a fake check for job related expenses. Check amount exceeds the victim’s expenses and victim sends remaining funds back using a money transfer. The check bounces and the victim is responsible for the full amount.
Associated with:
Mystery Shopping scam, Fake Check scam
Article:
3 employment scams and tips to help avoid becoming a victim
Extortion
Threats to life, arrest or other demands by scammers to unlawfully obtain money, property or services from a victim through coercion that they supposedly owe and threatens if they do not cooperate.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Relationship scam, Immigration scam, Tax scam, Emergency scam, Anti-Virus scam, Phishing
Fake Check scam
Victims are often sent a check as a part of a scam and told to deposit the check and use the funds for employment expenses, internet purchases, mystery shopping, etc. The check is fake (counterfeit), and the victim is left responsible for any funds used from the check. Remember, funds from a check deposited into an account should not be used until the check officially clears which can take weeks.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Mystery Shopping scam, Employment scam, Overpayment scam, Internet Purchase scam, Lottery / Prize scam, Rental Property scam
Article:
How to avoid fake check scams
Grandparent scam
This scam is a variation on the Emergency scam.
The victim is contacted by an individual pretending to be a grandchild in distress, or a person of authority such as a medical professional, law enforcement officer, or attorney.
The fraudster describes an urgent situation or emergency (bail, medical expenses, emergency travel funds) involving the grandchild that requires a money transfer to be sent immediately.
No emergency has occurred, and the victim who sent money to help their grandchild has lost their money.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Emergency scam
Article:
6 tips and insights to avoid the grandparent scam
Identity Theft
Identity thieves use personal information (e.g., Social Security numbers, bank account information and credit card numbers) to pose as another individual. This may include opening a credit account, draining an existing account, filing tax returns or obtaining medical coverage.
Associated with:
Internet Purchase scam, Phishing, SMS/Smishing, Social Networking scam, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Immigration scam, Tax scam, Employment scam, Anti-Virus scam, Relationship scam
Immigration scam
Victim receives a call from someone claiming to be an immigration official saying there is a problem with the victim’s immigration record. Personal information and sensitive details related to the victim’s immigration status may be provided to make the story seem more legitimate. Immediate payment is demanded to fix any issues with the victim’s record and deportation or imprisonment may be threatened if payment is not made immediately by money transfer.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Overpayment scam, Emergency scam
Article:
6 tips to protect yourself from an immigration scam
Internet Purchase scam
Victims could be the buyer or a seller of items (e.g. pets, cars) or services advertised online through Craigslist, eBay, Alibaba, Gumtree, carsales.com, etc. Scammers pretending to be legitimate online sellers, either with a fake website or a fake ad on a genuine site advertising an item at a low price. They ask you to pay using a money order, pre-loaded money card or money transfer, after the money is sent, the victim never receives the merchandise or service. Scammers also pretend to be legitimate buyers by sending more than the selling price, and asks the seller to wire the difference back to them via a money transfer.
Associated with:
Overpayment scam, Rental Property scam, Fake Check scam
Articles:
Fraud alert: Internet puppy purchase scams rising, Tips to protect yourself from online shopping scams this holiday season, Defend yourself from COVID-19 consumer scams
Lottery / Prize scam
Victim is told that they have won a lottery, prize or sweepstakes and that money must be sent to cover the taxes or fees on the winnings. The victim may receive a check for part of the winnings and once the check is deposited and money is sent, the check bounces.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Fake Check scam
Articles:
7 tips to avoid lottery scams , Avoid falling for sweepstakes scams
Money-Flipping scam
Social media is being used to lure new victims into an old get-rich-quick scam where users are advertising ways to turn $100 into $1,000 by “flipping money”. The pitch suggests investors can take advantage of quirks in the monetary system to leverage additional cash and turn a few hundred dollars into thousands. Once con artists have access to the cash, they often block the victim from contacting them via social media or phone number.
Associated with:
Social Networking scam, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam
Article:
Money Flip or Flop? How to Avoid Falling for Online Scams
Military
Military service members are an appealing target for scammers for several reasons. They are abusing the wide-spread admiration for the military and posing as service men and women in order to trick people into sending them money.
Associated with:
Relationship scam, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Emergency scam, Charity scam, Employment scam
Articles:
Latest wrinkle on scams: Crooks pose as member of the military, Fraudsters Camouflage Themselves as Military Members Online
Mystery Shopping scam
The fraudster contacts the victim through an employment website, or the victim responds to an ad about an employment opportunity to evaluate a money transfer service. The fraudster often sends the victim a check to deposit and instructs the victim to send a money transfer, keeping a portion of the check for their pay. The victim sends the money, the fraudster picks it up, and when the check bounces the victim is left responsible for the full amount.
Associated with:
Fake Check scam, Employment scam, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam
Article:
Why offers to become a mystery shopper require lots of scrutiny
Overpayment scam
The fraudster sends the victim a check that appears to be valid as payment for a service or product. Typically, the amount of the check exceeds what the victim expects to receive, and the fraudster tells the victim to send the excess back using a money transfer. When the check bounces, the victim is left responsible for the full amount.
Associated with:
Internet Purchase scam, Fake Check scam, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam
Article:
Watch your back: Payment scams common in online buying & selling
Phishing
Communication impersonating a trustworthy entity, such as a bank or mortgage company, intended to mislead the victim into providing personal information or passwords. A Phish is a fraudulent attempt, usually made through email (although can also be made via phone or text), to steal your personal information or propagate malicious code or software onto your computer.
Associated with:
Relationship scam, Extortion, Emergency scam, Social Networking scam, SMS/Smishing
Article:
Know warning signs of a phishing scam
Relationship scam
Victim is led to believe that they have a personal relationship with someone they met online often by social media, in an online forum or on a dating website. The victim is often emotionally invested, often referring to the recipient as a fiancée.
Associated with:
Social Networking scam, Military, Emergency scam, Extortion
Article:
Looking for love on the Internet in 2016
Rental Property scam
Victim sends money for deposit on a rental property and never receives access to the rental property or the victim may also be the property owner who is sent a check from the renter and asked to send a portion of the check back using a money transfer and the check bounces.
Associated with:
Internet Purchase scam, Fake Check scam, Overpayment scam
Articles:
Western Union and Better Business Bureau Fight Online Rental Scams, Consumer need to be on guard against common rental scams
Social Networking scam
If a cybercriminal gains access to your social media accounts, they also gain access to your close friends and family. Criminals and con artists can take advantage of how much personal information people share online, and then use this information to make skillful and highly targeted pitches to their friends and family, often involving requests for money.
Associated with:
Phishing, Emergency scam, Grandparent scam, Military, SMS/Smishing, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Relationship scam, Identity Theft
Article:
Be safe while getting social to avoid social media scams
SMS/Smishing
Beware of texts that spark urgency, asking you to click on a link, taking you to a compromised site, or get you to unwittingly divulge some personal information that could be used against you.
Associated with:
Identity Theft, Phishing, Anti-Virus scam, Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Lottery / Prize scam
Tax scam
Victim is contacted by someone claiming to be from a governmental agency saying that money is owed for taxes, and it must be paid immediately to avoid arrest, deportation or suspension of driver’s license/passport. The victim is instructed to send a money transfer or purchase a pre-loaded debit card to pay the taxes. Government agencies will never demand immediate payment or call about taxes without first having mailed a bill.
Associated with:
Advanced Fee / Prepayment scam, Overpayment scam
Articles:
Western Union Urges Consumers to Stay Alert for IRS Impersonation Phone Scam, Cash clever: Be too smart for these tax-time phone scams
Telemarketing
Telemarketing broadly covers almost any commercial transaction that involves the use of a telephone to place or receive calls between a consumer and a telemarketer or seller for the transferring of funds, such as cash-to-cash money transfers or funds loaded onto a prepaid card, as payment for goods or services offered or sold through telemarketing, often relating to a promotion for a “free” or heavily discounted vacation, prize or sweepstakes scams, or the sale of “bargain” magazines.