419 scam: "FEDEX COURIER SERVICE" <fedex@deliveryservice.com> DELIVERY NOTIFICATION

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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. )
- "certificate 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. )
- "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. )
- "headquater" (this email uses bad English)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
- "fedexheadquaters@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.

Fraud email example:

From: "FEDEX COURIER SERVICE" <fedex@deliveryservice.com>
Reply-To: fedexheadquaters@w.cn
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:40:39 -0400 (CLT)
Subject: DELIVERY NOTIFICATION

Greetings!

We have been waiting for you since to contact us for your Confirmable
Bank Draft of $50.000.00 United States Dollars, but we have not heard
from you since. You Check is been deposited with FedEx COURIER
SERVICE,
West Africa,
What you have to do now is to contact the FedEx COURIER SERVICE as
soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you. For
your information, I have paid the delivery Charge, Insurance premium and
Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a Drug
Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country.The only
money you will send to the FedEx COURIER SERVICE to deliver your Draft
direct to your postal Address in your country is ($ 185.00 US) Dollars only
being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far. Again, don't
be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except $ 185.00 US Dollars
only . I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know
when you will contact them and in case of demurrage.You have to
contact the FedEx COURIER SERVICE Delivery department now for the delivery
of your
Draft with this information bellow;

Contact Person: Mr. Paul J. Robinson
Email Address: fedexheadquaters@w.cn
Telephone:+(234)

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Full Name , Postal address()
and Direct telephone number again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery
and ask them to give you the tracking number to enable you track your
package over there and know when it will get to your address.Let me repeat
again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to avoid any
further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $
185.00
US Dollars for their immediate action. You should also let me know through
email as soon as you receive your Draft.

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Kelly Wellington

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam