419 scam: "Mr.Frederick W. Smith" <randynixon212@yahoo.com> BELOW IS YOUR PACKAGE READY FOR DELIVERY.

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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. )
- "insurance 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. )
- "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. )
- "money transfer control number" (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
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 mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22999092718 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- fedex-courier1998@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Frederick W. Smith" <randynixon212@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: fedex-courier1998@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:20:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: BELOW IS YOUR PACKAGE READY FOR DELIVERY.

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Fedex
Courier Service, West
Africa
Cotonou Benin
Republic,
12 Oct,
2010

CPEL/OWN/9876

Parcel No
EG2272.
Email; f_couriercompamy@w.cn
Email;fedex-courier1998@hotmail.com

Attn: Sir/Madam

With all due respect, I
Mr.Frederick W. Smith (Chief
Executive Officer) have been awaiting for you to contact me
for the delivery of your Bank
Draft of $800,000.00USD. You can as
well come down to this branch to pick up your package or even send someone to
pick it up on your behalf. More so, the phone number works perfectly and I will
advise you cross the number again as it is below this mail.

The MTN GRAND PROMOTION deposited it to us
last week to place your Bank Draft on out going delivery, They already paid for
the insurance fee and the delivery charges. But They did not pay for the
security keeping fee due to the fact that we did not know when you will be
contacting us via mail to inform us that we have your check, so we advised Them
not to pay for the security keeping fee of the courier company so far but we
informed Them to contact you on time so you will not have to pay more than the
security keeping fee of $199, on demurrage and we do not
operate cost on delivery (C.O.D) on a charge like this.

All you need to
do right now to get your Bank Draft delivered to your door step, is to go ahead
and pay the security keeping fee of the courier company so far.The fee that you
are to pay is only $ 199 for the security keeping fee, for proper confirmation
on the fee you are advice to check the first mail that was sent to you by us,
you are to come up with this fee as soon as possible to process the delivery of
your package.

Note: that due to lots of
scam mail on the inetrnet, so we decided to inform the FBI
and the ARTTONEY GENERAL of USA, so we have attach the clearance certificate of
the FBI and our letter of guarantee from the headquaters of FedEx.

Payment should be made via western
union money transfer only for security purpose,
payment details are listed below.

Transfer
Information Via western
union money
transfer
Courier
Agent: Mr . Alexander Ekwealor,
FedEx Head
office Address
{Benin}:Cotonou

Country: Republic Of Benin
Text Question to be
used:Relationship?
Text Anwser: Friend.

Sender Name:

Sender's Address
:

Receiver Name:

Mtcn (Control Number):

Amount Sent:

You have to send down the MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number)
and your complete postal address. Reconfirm your full name, address, country and
most important your phone number.

Get back to us with
your payment details, I will have to send a mail that you have contacted me
regarding the check he left for you. Note that your tracking number would be
provided to you as soon as the payment has been made and confirmed by
us.

BELOW IS YOUR PACKAGE READY
FOR DELIVERY.

Have a wonderful time. Please call us
anytime you need any assistance.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr.Frederick W. Smith (Chief Executive
Officer)

(+229 99 09 27
18)
©2010 FedEx
INTERNATIONAL.

Anti-fraud resources:

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