United Nation Foundation Programs Lottery Scam - "Pickup Your $5,000 USD Via Any Western Union Office Near You"

Today, 1/6/2017, I received one of these emails. It suggests checking with Western Union, and gives the transaction number and a name for a sender. "verify the status of the funds by using the western union tracking link below for confirmation:"

Western Union shows that the funds are ready to be picked up, like the email promises. OMG! I'm rich!

However, there is no personal information involved, and that transfer could have been sent to anyone, and no information is given about the transfer other than ready to be picked up. The email then suggests

"For release of the Security Test Question and Answer employed in sending the fee, please contact Charles James in Houston Texas now by email: jcharles77068-aol.com"

So then they have you on the hook, if nothing else, you have just confirmed your email address and that you might be a possible Sucker.

The neat trick here is that there is a real transfer, but that is next to meaningless, this costs them little. My guess is that if you do get the codes, they will have already picked up the money, and then they will engage you further. Can you prove that you are the recipient?

In fact, they have no idea who is at the email address unless you tell them. They can sell that information! Of course, you could look at that as an opportunity to get more great free money offers like this!