419 scam: "Mr.Douglas Shulman" <officefille1988@gmail.com> ATTENTTION:MY DEAR FRIEND,

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "mtcn" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "are expected to pay " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "the consignment" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
- "customs.service@w.cn" (this email address has been used in a known scam)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- dep.deliveryagent1098@yahoo.ca (Yahoo, Canada; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Douglas Shulman" <officefille1988@gmail.com>
Reply-To: inland11970@blumail.org
Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:35:11 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: ATTENTTION:MY DEAR FRIEND,

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#yiv848263047 body{font-size:10pt;font-family:arial, sans-serif;background-color:#ffffff;color:black;}#yiv848263047 p{margin:0px;}

U.S.A. Internal Revenue
Service Department.
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington , DC
20520Greeting from USA I.R.S,Date:
7/12/2011.

Contact person:
Mr.Douglas Shulman
Email: inland11970@blumail.org

Attention
Please,

We write to inform you that your package with
reference number 6661428 has been in Customs facility custody
waiting for resolutions of the clearance to further the delivery to your
delivery address by the delivery Agent who came all the way from Africa.We have
been waiting for you to contact us regarding your consignment box which the
agent suppose to deliver to you which was on hold by USA Customs Department and
they are requesting for clearance certificate which will be obtain from the
origination of the consignment box before it will be released from the Customs
to the delivery agent to complete the
delivery.

After the phone call we made on your behalf to the USA
Customs Authority and the Government of Benin Republic, it was resolved that the
delivery of your consignment to your address must be complete within two (2)
working days upon your compliance to our directives; You should send the sum of
$97.00 usd to obtain the needed Ownership-clearance certificate from Benin
Republic.

The clearance charges which was initially on the high
price has been cut down by the US Embassy in Benin Republic considering the poor
economic situations that make it difficult for the middle class citizens to meet
up with the clearance of their entitlement.

We will upon the confirmation of your clearing charge
assign our Diplomat Agent (Mr. Anthony Williams) to travel to USA and
collect your package and proceed with the delivery.

Meanwhile you are advice to reconfirm the below
information upon contacting us to avoid delivery to wrong person after obtaining
the needed Ownership-clearance certificate from Benin Republic because that is
what the Customs here are waiting for .

1- Your Full Name
2- Your Delivery Address

3- Your Contact Telephone Number
4- Your Occupation
5- Your
Identification (Passport number or ID Card
number)

Once you notify us with the above information and the
needed Ownership-clearance certificate from Benin Republic, the USA Customs will
release your consignment box to you and it will be delivered to you by the
agent,
Contact person: Mr.Douglas Shulman

(customs.service@w.cn)

You also advise to contact the delivery agent as
well with the delivery address of yours and his e-mail address is this
below.

Name : Mr. Anthony
Williams
E-mail:( dep.deliveryagent1098@yahoo.ca )

Note that you are expected to pay only $97.00 usd for
Ownership-clearance certificate and you are to pay it to Benin Republic as the
origination of the package in favour of
Mr.Otipko
Mmelika as our accountant officer in
Benin Republic Send the $97.00 usd through western union once you receive this
mail with the information below for immediate release of your package,

Receivers Name:====. Mr.Otipko Mmelika

Country/City:=======Benin Republic
Test
Question:=======what city
Answer:
===========cotonou
Amount:===========$97.00.00usd

Once you send the money to Benin Republic to this name
, please try to notify us with the MTCN so that we can contact Mr.Udalor Dennis
for easy pick up and for immediate action on the release of your
Ownership-clearance certificate.

Note that any unclaimed consignment will be return
to Benin Republic Government after 4 days.

So you are urgently advised to comply with our
directives so that the Customs will release your
consignment.

Yours Sincerely Mr.Douglas
Shulman
Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue

________________________________________
PeoplePC Online
A better way to Internet
http://www.peoplepc.com

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam