419 scam: "Economic and Financial Crimes Commission" <fedex@mail.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. )
- "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. )
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "abuja" (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.
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-dept2011@hotmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Economic and Financial Crimes Commission" <fedex@mail.com>
Reply-To: fedex-dept2011@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 03:25:36 -0400 (EDT)
Subject:

Attention Scam Repayment

This is to bring to your notice that I am a delegate from the United
Nations to the IMF (International Monetary Fund) West Africa Regional
Payment Office to pay 521 scam victims $100,000 USD each. You are listed and
approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims to be paid this
amount,get back to me as soon as possible for the immediate payments of
your $100,000 USD compensations funds.On this faithful
recommendations, I want you to know that during the last U.N. meetings
held at Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria, it was alarmed so much by the
world in the meetings on the lost of funds by various individual to scam
artist operating all over the world today

According to the number of applicants at hand, 284 Beneficiaries has been
paid, half of the victims are from the United States, and we still have
more 237 left to be paid the compensations of $100,000 USD each. Your
particulars was mentioned by one of the Syndicates who was arrested as one
of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate
or duplicate this message to him for any reason what so ever as the
U.S.Secret service and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) is
already on trace of the other criminals. So keep it secret till they are
all apprehended. Other victims who have not been Contacted can submit their
application as well for security and possible consideration. Now how would
you like to receive your payment? By check or by ATM card?

ATM Card: We will be issuing you a custom pin based ATM card which you
will use to withdraw up to $5,000 per day from any ATM machine . Also with
the ATM card you will be able to transfer your funds to your bank account.
The ATM card comes with a handbook or manual to enlighten you about how
to use it. Good if you do not have a bank account : To be deposited in
your bank for it to be cleared within three working days.Your fund will be
sent to you by any of your preferred option by ATM or by CHECK and it will be
mailed to you via FEDEX COURIER COMPANY. Because we have signed a
contract with FEDEX COURIER COMPANY which should expire by JULY 2011 you
will only need to pay $135 for the delivery of your parcel.

For your information, the VAT & Shipping charge has been paid by the
United Nation Management before your parcel was registered. Note that the
payment that is made on the Premium & Clearance Certificates, are to
certify that the funds 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 the sum of $135 US Dollars being full payment for the Insurance fees
of your parcel so that the FedEx company can delivery your parcel to you.
Below is the shipment officer contact information including his email
address with the parcel number,note that without you indicating your
parcel number as listed below the FedEx delivery services will not listen
to you.

FedEx Delivery Post
Contact Person: Alex Smith
Email:fedex-dept2011@hotmail.com
Shipment Code: CPEL/OWN/9344
REG No/FedEx-103309

To effect the release of your fund valued at $100,000 DOLLAR you are
advised to contact this office and the following information?:

Your full Name:
Your Address:
Country:
Home/Cell Phone:
Preferred Payment Method (ATM/Cashier Check):

Upon receipt of payment the delivery officer will ensure that your package
is sent within 48 working hours. Because we are so sure of everything we
are giving you a 100% money back guarantee if you do not receive
payment/package within the next three days after you have made the payment
for shipping.

Below are also more tracking numbers for those which were sent through
FedEx and their cards already received:871359761819, 869713119185,
871359809324, 871359809313, 871359761727, 871363130860, 871372183148,
871363116168, Track anyone of them through FedEx website:
www.fedex.com for confirmation to see that they have also received theirs.
All of the above has been provided for prove to show you that this is
Legal and that you will also receive your own payment.

Yours sincerely,
Mr. Richard Blair
CC: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam