419 scam: DHL COURIER <officedesk@skymail.mn> DHL International Office Shipment

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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:
- "activation 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. )
- "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.
- +22997928444 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: DHL COURIER <officedesk@skymail.mn>
Reply-To: dhlcustomerrcare@go2.pl
Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:09:46 +0100 (BST)
Subject: DHL International Office Shipment

FROM DHL COURIER COMPANY INT. PLC
REPUBLIC OF BENIN,
TELEPHONE +229 97928444
HEAD OFFICE NO:171 AKIL ROAD
COTONOU
BENIN REPUBLIC
ATTENTION:
BENEFICIARY,

INFORMATION, I AM REALLY CONFUSED HERE RIGHT NOW THAT
OUR GOVERNMENT IS NOW TRYING TO CANCEL YOUR DELIVER, FOR THAT YOU HAVE ONLY
24HOURS TO EFFECT MAKING THE PAYMENT FOR ACTIVATION FEE SO THAT YOUR DELIVER
WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY.

THE AMOUNT IS $120.00 BUT YOU CAN WHATEVER YOU HAVE
FOR THE ACTIVATION FEE SINCE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED SUM.
BE INFORMED THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE SUM OF YOUR ACTIVATION FEE
ONCE YOU RECEIVE THE ATM CARD
AND START USING IT.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU CANNOT RAISE THIS $120.00
FOR GOOD THREE WEEKS NOW WHY.LISTEN I HAVE NEVER BOOKED THIS KIND OF APPOINTMENT
BEFORE.LISTEN CAREFULLY MY DEAR, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET KNOWING THIS COMPANY, IF
YOU DON'T HAVE SUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THIS OFFICE I WILL NOT INVOLVE MYSELF IN
ANYTHING THAT IS FAKE,

BE REST ASSURED THAT ONCE YOU SEND THE AMOUNT YOU
HAVE YOUR DELIVER WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY AND YOU WILL BEGIN GETTING YOUR
ATM
CARD WITHIN 48HOURS, IN AS MUCH AS I AM CONCERN I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOU
WILL NOT LOOSE ANY CENT YOU MIGHTY ARE SPEND IN THIS DELIVER.

I GIVE YOU
MY WORDS DON'T FEAR ABOUT ANYTHING JUST FOLLOW UP MY INSTRUCTIONS AND SEE THE
WONDERFUL WORK OF GOD, JUST MAKE SURE YOU SEND ANY AMOUNT THAT YOU HAVE
IMMEDIATELY, I SWEAR BEFORE 1:00PM THURSDAY YOU WILL RECEIVE THE CARD IN YOUR
HOME ADDRESS, I SWEAR. SEND IT THROUGH WESTERN UNION
BELOW:

1.
RECEIVER NAME=====MR. AMEKE C. MICHAEL
2. COUNTRY===BENIN REPUBLIC/ CITY
COTONOU
3. QUESTION======HOW LONG
4.
ANSWER=======24HOURS
5.AMOUNT=======$120

SEND US THE MTCN NUMBER
IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND THE MONEY AND IMMEDIATELY WE CONFIRM THE TRANSFER FEE WE
WILL REGISTER YOUR DELIVER IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE ALL THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENT
REGARDING YOUR DELIVER HAS BEEN FINALIZED SINCE SATURDAY TO AVOID OUR GOVERNMENT
TO CANCEL THE DELIVER.

NOTE THAT YOU HAVE ONLY 24HOURS TO SEND ANY AMOUNT
YOU HAVE OTHERWISE GOVERNMENT WILL CANCEL THE DELIVER.

THANKS

INFORMATION, YOU HAVE ONLY 24HOURS.

DIRECTOR GENERAL MR. CHINEDU
SIMEON
TELEPHONE
NUMBER +229 97928444

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam