419 scam: "Mr.McDonald Hook"<hookmcdonald@rocketmail.com> Good Day

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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:
- "dear friend" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "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. )
- "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. )
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.
- fairway_express.seivice@post.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.McDonald Hook" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <fairway_express.seivice@post.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:53:52 +0800
Subject: Good Day

Greetings To You My Dear Friend!!!

I have been waiting for you to contact me for your Conformable Bank Draft of $750,000.00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FAIRWAY EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY, Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions Malaysia, I traveled out of the country for an 8 Months Course and I will not come back till end of this year.

What you have to do now is to contact the FAIRWAY EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you because of the expiring date. For your information, I have paid for the delivery Charge, Insurance Premium and Clearance Certificate Fee. The only money you will send to the FAIRWAY EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY to deliver your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($85.00USD) 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 $175.00USDollars.I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when you will Contact them and in case of demur rage.

You have to contact the FAIRWAY EXPRESS COURIER COMPANY now for the delivery of your Draft with the following information.

Your Full Name:.........................
Residential Address: ................
Your Mailing Address:................
Your Telephone Number:......................

And ask them for there payment information so that you can send them there $175.00usd for the delivery do not forget the Company do not delivery on COD mode so have that in mind.

Contact information bellow:

FAIRWAY EXPRESS COURIER SERVICE
Contact Person: Mr.Azman Devidson
Telephone: +60123364914
Email: fairway_express.seivice@post.com

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your delivery address and Direct Telephone numbers to them 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 $85.00 US Dollars for their immediate action.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr.McDonald Hook

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam