419 scam: "Mrs. Claire Danes" <fedexonline@live.com> (no subject)

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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. )
- "security keeping fee" (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. )
- "00,000.00" (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)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- mrtimothycombs@yahoo.com.hk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Claire Danes" <fedexonline@live.com>
Reply-To: mrtimothycombs@yahoo.com.hk
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:46:58 +0800
Subject:

Dear Customer,

We have been waiting for you to contact us for your Confirmed Package that is
registered with us for shipping to your residential location. We had thought
that your sender gave you our contact details. We understand that the content
of your package itself is a Bank Draft worth of $800,000.00 USD and it may
interest you to know that a letter is also added to your package. The package
is registered with us for mailing by your colleague, and your colleague
explained that he is from the United States but he is here in London for a
three (3) months Surveying Project as he works with a consultant firm. We are
sending you this email because your package is been registered on a Special
Order. What you have to do now, is to contact our Delivery Department for
immediate dispatch of your package to your residential address.

Note that as soon as our Delivery Team confirms your information, it will take
only one working day (24 hours) for your package to arrive its designated
destination. For your information, the VAT & Shipping charges as well as
Insurance fees have been paid by your colleague before your package was
registered. Note that the payment that is made on the Insurance, Premium &
Clearance Certificates, are to certify that the Bank Draft is not a Drug
Affiliated Fund (DAF) neither is it funds to sponsor Terrorism in your
country.
This will help you avoid any form of query from the Monetary Authority of your
country. However, you will have to pay a sum of $246USD (United States
Dollars)
to the FedEx Delivery Department being full payment for the Security Keeping
Fee of the FedEx company as stated in our privacy terms & condition page. Also
be informed that your colleague wished to pay for the Security Keeping
charges,
but we do not accept such payment considering the facts that all items &
packages that is registered with us have a time limitation and we
cannot accept
payment not knowing when you will be picking up the package or even responding
to us. So we cannot take the risk to have accepted such payment in case of any
possible demurrage. Kindly note that your colleague did not leave us with any
further information. We hope that you respond to us as soon as
possible because
if you fail to respond until the expiry date of the foremost package, we may
refer the package to the British Commission for Welfare as the package do not
have a return address. Kindly contact the delivery department (FedEx Delivery
Post) with the details given below: FedEx Delivery Post

Contact Person: MR. TIMOTHY COMBS

Email: mrtimothycombs@yahoo.com.hk

TEL:+ +44 793 301 9831
Kindly complete the below form and send it to the email address given above.
This is mandatory to reconfirm your Postal address and telephone numbers.

FULL NAMES:

TELEPHONE:

POSTAL ADDRESS:

CITY:

STATE:

COUNTRY:

Kindly complete the above form and summit it to the delivery manager on :
mrtimothycombs@yahoo.com.hk As soon as your details are received, our
delivery
team will give you the necessary payment procedure so that you can effect the
payment for the Security Keeping Fees. As soon as they confirm your payment
receipt of $246USD (United States Dollars), they will not hesitate to dispatch
your package as well as the attached letter to your residence. It
usually takes
24 hours being an overnight delivery service. Note that we were not instructed
to email you, but due to the high priority of your package we had to
inform you
as your sender did not leave us with his phone number because he
stated that he
just arrived London and he hasn't fixed his phone yet. We indeed personally
sealed your Bank Draft and we found your email contact in the attached letter
as the recipient of the foremost package. Ensure to contact the delivery
department with the email address given above and ensure to fill the
above form
as well to enable a successful reconfirmation.

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Claire Danes.
FedEx Online Management Team.
All rights reserved. @ 1995-2010
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This E-mail is only for the above addressees. It may contain confidential or
Privileged information. If you are not an addressee you must not copy,
distribute, disclose or use any of the information in it or any attachments.
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Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam