419 scam: "Dr.Paulson Smith" <info-mplaza@4u.com.gh> Hello once Again

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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:
- "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. )
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "foxcourier02@9.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: "Dr.Paulson Smith" <info-mplaza@4u.com.gh>
Reply-To: paulsonsmith1@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 2011 13:37:00 -0000
Subject: Hello once Again

Hello once Again

I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank
Draft of $2.5m United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since
for couple of weeks now, Then I went to the bank to confirm if the draft
has expired or getting near to expire and Dr. Wilson the Director of
Africa Development Bank told me that before the draft will get to your
hand that it will expire also many Foreign banks are reluctant to honor
Bank Draft usually come from Africa,so he suggested that it would be
better that he convert the Bank Draft into cash and packaged it in form of
Personal Diplomatic Package and send it to you via special diplomatic
means and you will receive your funds in your Country.

I will be out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come
back till ending of October 2011.

What you have to do now is to contact FOX Courier Company as soon as
possible to know when they will deliver your Package to you. For your
information, I have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance premium.

The only money you will send to the Courier Company is ($150.00) One
Hundred & Fifty United States Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of
the Courier Company so far, 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 are advice to contact Company now for the delivery of your fund with
your deposit SECURITY CODE FCTC/2001FHX/567/;

Directors Name: Dr. Thompson Kuruma
Company Name: FOX COURIER COMPANY
Email Address: (foxcourier02@9.cn)
Tel: +233 278 070 319

You Are To Forward The Following Information To Them;
1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. YOUR HOME OR COMPANY ADDRESS:
3. YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Let me repeat again,Try to avoid any delay and remember the only money you
have to pay is their Security Keeping fee of $150.00 US Dollars for their
immediate action.

Note this. The Courier Company doesn't know the contents of the Package. I
registered it as a BOX of Africa cloths. They did not know the contents
were money. This is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't let them
know that box contents money ok.

Thanks and God bless you and your family.

Dr.Paulson Smith.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam