"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams

The text message below: "WUMT.WesternUnion. Urgent.Notification.Follow," which appears as if it was sent by Western Union or from NY.gov, is a phishing scam created by scammers or cyber-criminals to steal the recipients’ Western Union account credentials (email address and password). Recipients of email or text messages appearing as if they came from Western Union, asking them to click on or follow a link, should delete the messages.

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WesternUnion Urgent Notification Fraudulent Text Message Scams

The Western Union Text Message Phishing Scam

From: 315166@NY .gov
"WUMT.WesternUnion. Urgent.Notification.Follow: bit.ly/1STWReW"

The link in one of the phishing text messages goes to the following fake Western Union website:

  • http://westernunion.global. money.transfer.international. centralcollegedublin.com/

Other fake Western Union email or text messages will contain links to other malicious or phishing websites. Remember, the legitimate Western Union website is located at: www.westernunion.com.

Now, once the potential victims enter their Western Union accounts credentials on the fake website in an attempt to sign-in, their credentials will be sent to the scammers who have created the website, who will use the stolen information to hijack their victims’ accounts. Once the scammers have access to their victims’ accounts, they will use the accounts fraudulently.

Victims of the Western Union text message phishing scam should change their passwords immediately and contact Western Union. They should let Western Union know that they were tricked by a fake text message, which took them to a phishing website where they unknowingly entered their accounts’ credentials in an attempt to sign-in, thinking they were on the legitimate Western Union website.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 112)

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February 14, 2018 at 12:07 PM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
an anonymous user from: Chandler, Arizona, United States

First noticed a caller ID number one digit different than my phone number...Then noticed I missed two more calls from two other different phone numbers one digit off from mine.

Same day: Received a txt msg.

Western/Union/Gift/Transfer-5896910203 transfer for $150.00

FOLLOW: hxxps://is.gd/R1s2KV

Checked it out on the REAL Western Union website. Sorry no FREE money for me today.

Delete

December 14, 2017 at 12:52 AM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
an anonymous user from: Sunnyvale, California, United States

Here is another text message I received on my phone:

"Westernunion Alert msgid- tlnzl2p security alert! Please update your profile: the link says this hxxp://westernunionmuserstre.cf/w9nO/xY82QE.mob"

Delete

November 18, 2017 at 7:58 AM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"Fwd: WesternUnion : MTCN 88087944 for $300 Ready f...

Sat 18/11/2017 01:10

From: 3103395716@vtext.com

"Fwd: WesternUnion : MTCN 88087944 for $300 Ready for pick up. Follow personal link at: hxxp://bit.ly/2AOUh7a"

Delete

October 24, 2017 at 11:54 AM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
an anonymous user from: Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States

My child just received a text stating that a money transfer of $241 dollars was ready for pick up. We are sure its a scam. Please be careful.

Delete

May 23, 2017 at 12:08 PM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
an anonymous user from: Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States

I just received a text to my cell from wmt6236@vzw that says:

"(WesternUnion - Money Transfer 5562781928 for $200 Is Ready To Pick Up. Follow : hxxp://bit.do/dsRCW NOW.)"

I am not expecting any money from anyone via Western Union so I assume this is a scam?

Delete

May 24, 2017 at 2:31 PM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
an anonymous user from: Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Received similar text message from gftwu389@al.com

Delete

May 23, 2017 at 12:27 PM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
info

Yes, it is a scam.

Delete

May 14, 2017 at 1:13 PM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"Hello,

The first $5,000.00 was sent to you today through Western Union Money Transfer.Contact Person: Mr.Henry Okafor, Email: wnnnnn02@gmail.com, phone: 00226 76 168 413. They will keep sending you the daily payment of $5,000.00 until your total fund of $3,600,000.00 is completed.Forward to them your full name,phone number and address for them to be sure

Yours Faithfully,

Mr.ken Malu"

Delete

May 5, 2017 at 6:44 PM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
an anonymous user from: Clinton, Missouri, United States

I received text showing from wuO5O@info.gov in body of text www.westernunion Money Transfer 7752298821. For $160.00 ready to pick up.Follow: ow.ly/a3wv3Obt7iO To Claim

If you follow it, it opens up template asking email address and your password. I did not fill out template, I back out of site & then backed out of text to the display for choose text message. Thank you for posting relevant and current information regarding this matter.

Delete

April 24, 2017 at 3:03 PM by
"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams
an anonymous user from: St Cloud, Florida, United States

They are still at it. I got this group text today, sent to 24 recipients:

From:giftwu95100@fl.net

"(WesternUnionGift)MTCN:7193530192 Ammount: 255.00$ Ready to pick up now! Follow : hxxp://bit.do/dpptRt"

(Spelling was incorrect as above :/ ) I called Western Union fraud department and after being on hold for a few minutes the man that I spoke to said if there is no name he can't do anything about it.

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams