Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

"WesternUnion Urgent Notification" Fraudulent Text Message Scams

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.

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.

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Comments 112

Feb 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

Dec 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

Nov 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

Oct 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

waiting

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