"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams

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.

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"

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"

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.

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?

Received similar text message from gftwu389-al.com

Yes, it is a scam.

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"

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.

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.

I received an SMS this morning:

"Desde Western Union: DANIEL JOITA CRISTU retiro su transferencia. Gracias!"

No contact number except phone 447786 201785.

What would be the point of this, can you tell me.

Lyn.

They are attempting to frighten you into responding to the text, or calling the number the text came from. This is how cybercriminals know the number they have sent the text to is active. They will then attempt to scam you.

Never respond to or call back numbers you have received fraudulent, malicious or unsolicited messages from.

"RM0 From Western Union: M KUNJAMMAL picked up your money transfer. Thank you!"

I received this message from 63001.

I just received one of these texts, and followed the link; it asked me to photograph and upload a copy of my DL/ State Id.

Just got this message:

"FRM*WesternUnionAlert*
MSG:Account Suspended.
Read this now: xrespounsewesternunion.com/wusa"

Here is another scam:

"Dato: 12.01.2017 15:07 (GMT 01:00)
Emne: WUMT: Your profile has been updated

Dear member,

This email is to confirm that you have successfully changed your Western Union profile.

If you did not make this change, please click here immediately to restore your account access.

You can access your profile at http://wumt.westernunion.com /WUMTCOMWEB/signInAction.do

Thank you for using Western Union !
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT US."

Received via email:

"Hi I have received a text message to my mobile that my husband has $3406.30 in his account and to click a link to withdraw."

Follow up on my last message...I clicked the link and it took me to that bull rap site. By Jake whatshisface from Aussies Method, then a clashing $47.500 message pops up saying that my trading cash is in my account..too bad I'm not a member or even trader..idiots!

I received the exact same text message...Dollar and cents amount are spot on to my text
.Tho the link doesn't look fraudulent. So will click on it as I don't even have a western union account & don't have any banking apps on my phone. I will post results after i click the link!

Please do not click on the link.

Received via email:

"I received a phishing text. Message as follows.

FRM:nfowu10-info.gov
MSG:WesternUnion-
MSG:Your Attention Is
Requested.Follow:http://
Bit .ly/2gfL90v Today"

I am receiving a text from jd8a-verizon.net stating attention is needed and leading to a link supposedly form Wester Union.

It is another scam.

received the follow today MTCN: 0305611001 Ammount: 250.00$ Ready to pick up. Follow: https://is.gd/QCxZuCWesternUnionMSG

I do not use Western Union

Deleted Text message and did not follow link.

"MTCN: 3013901156 Ammount: 300.00$ Ready to pick up! Follow : https://is.gd/wesgdd WesternUnionTXT."

Recieved this text today from sweede-info.gov

I do not use WU or know anyone who does.

Received the following text message today from: wu101925-info.gov

"(WesternUnion.Com - Urgent Notification. Follow : http://bitly.com/2e6Hk0j Now.)"

I just received this text on my phone today. Oct. 11th 2016 9:55am
897233879646-info
(Fr:WesternUnion.YouReceivedFundsCodeTo Enter-6622314324.https://is.gd/B7kkGf.)

Please let everyone know that this a scam and delete immediately!!

Kathy

"wumnf07-info.gov

([www.westernunion.com]
Alert - Urgent Notification. Follow:
http://bit.ly/2do/EwZu NOW.)"

Sent as a text. Another scam.

Thank you for this post. I just received the Western Union scam text. While I was not tempted to click the link, I appreciate that I could find detailed confirmation on the SCAM. Thanks.

Received via email:

"(WU ID: FQL90CZH) SMS ID: 846254 - www.westernunion.com.wucom-id913.com/WUCOMWEB/ WE HAVE TEMPORARILY PREVENTED ACCESS TO YOUR CARD!"

This was sent in a text to my phone it is a fraud.

Here is another scam:

"6125085023-vtext.com
Fwd: (Your Attention Is Requested. Follow : https://bitly.com/2ceWpuh [WesternUnionMSG])"

Received 09-10-2016
SCAM!
"
(Your Urgent Attention Is Needed. Please Follow : https://bitly.com/2ct1kv0 [WesternUnionMSG])"

Here is another text message scam:

"From: 9178820809-vtext.com
Sent: Fri 9/02/16 10:11 AM

Fwd: (Your Attention Is Requested. Follow : https://bitly.com/2ccLyzV To Attend. [WesternUnion])"

"([WesternUnion.Com] Your Urgent Attention is Requested. Follow : http://bitly.com/2bMQqep"

Received today, 8/29/2016.

I received a text from them stating:
"([WesternUnion.Com]Your Attention Is Needed. Please Follow : http://bitly.com/2b4yFGH To Attend Today.)"

Received via email:

"I received the following text:

From: wilo-vzw.com
Message Alert Please Follow:
https://is.gd/RbkQ2F (WesternUnionMSG)

This was received on Wednesday, August 17 at 5:35 p.m.

I immediately figured it to be a scam of some sort and did not pursue the message. I just wanted to inform you of receiving it."

Received via email:
"I received a text at 5:15 pm CST that stated:
Message Alert Please Follow: https://is.gd/AENAvH (WesternUnionMSG)"

I received this as a text message. Is it a scam? It came from 203-990-5437

"Hello my daer customer,
We have deposited the check of your fund ($2.500?000?USDA) through Western Union department after our finally meeting regarding your fund, All you will do is to contact Western Union director Dr williams Scott E-mail(western2612union-gmail.com) He will give you direction on how you will be receiving the funds daily. Remember to send him,with your Full information to avoid wrong transfer such as, Receiver's Name
Address:
Country:
Phone Number:

Though.MR.MIKE JOHNSONhas sent $5000 in your name today so contact Dr williams Scott call him 22999084736

Remember to send him,with your Full information to avoid wrong transfer such as,
question/answer to pick the $5000 Please let us know as soon as you received all your fund,
BEST REGARD FROM
WESTERN UNION AGENT"

Yes, it is a scam.

Got the fraudulent text today and wonder how they got my cell phone number. There are three others in my family and we have consecutive cell phone numbers and we all got the same message. One of them is a user of western union money transfers but doesn't have an account, just sends and receives cash. But how did they get our cell numbers?

They may have gotten your cell number from phishing websites, and you may have installed malicious apps that steal personal information. Or, your friends or family members may have installed malicious apps that stole your phone number from their phone's address book.

I just received one of these texts. Your idea sounds plausible, but not in my case. I have a number I haven't given to anyone I know in person. The only people that do have my number are my bank and a select few of my credit card companies. I don't think it's likely that my bank or credit cards would share my phone number in this way.

My best guess is that they mass text people from phone number lists. If I google my phone number, there's only 2 pages of results. My number is listed on usaphonetrack dot com, but it's just one number in a huge list of numbers simply marked as "in use". I think that's what they're doing, looking for lists like these and mass texting all the numbers.

Although you have not given anyone your phone number, you do call people from it, which will be recorded or logged on the recipients' phones as a missed or received call.

Now, malicious apps can access call logs information on an infected phone and send it to cybercriminals.

Received following text message:

"(Westernunionresponse) You Must Update Your Information!!!
Click Here.->estcafe.ru/ online-westernunion- register.html"

I also received another the same day:
"(Westernunion) Please confirm your information!
Click here.->estcafe .ru/online-westernunion -register.html"

I have no account so I know this is fraud. I did not click to open the text so im not concerned but will be changing all my passwords anyway.

Thanks.

Received the following via email:

This is the text message alert I received today...I wrote down the info and then deleted message immediately the message was as followed.... "(PaymentFailed. MoneyTransferCanceled. ForMoreInfoFollow:https://bitly .com/2a8QTbY [WesternUnionMSG])"

I do not use western union so this message is a scam or an error either way I am reporting it to you and it is suspicious in nature to myself. TY"

Here is another scam:

"From: 6278292819-info.gov
PaymentFailed. MoneyTransferCanceled. ForMoreInfoFollow : https://bitly .com/2a8QTbY [WesternUnionMSG])"

Received a text message today from: 6278295555-info.gov. Stated that a fund transfer was canceled and gave a link. I clicked on link and it was a Western Union page asking for email and password. Did not give info and deleted text message. I do not have a WU account. Hoping that clicking on link did not compromise any of my data.

No, it will not. The website was only created to steal Western Union username and password.

Received via email:

"Wednesday I received a text message from 726126663-info.gov. The message read like this:

(Your Attention Is Needed. Please
Follow : https://bitly.com/29HCCV9
(WesternUnionMSG))

I was just waking up when I received this message and half-asleep, I touched the link. I don't think the page loaded and I did not input any personal information, however I am a little concerned about this. I am assuming this message did not come from you. What I hope is that if this is a scam those responsible did not have access to anything on my iPhone. At first I didn't think much about it because some of the bills I pay on line go through your service. Please let me know if this is legitimate or not.

Thanks,
Lee"

The text message is not legitimate. It is a scam sent by cybercriminals to trick you into visiting a phishing website. You are OK, once you did not enter your personal and financial information on the website that you were taken to after clicking on the link.