419 scam: Dr Mellisa Lewis <lewis.mellisa@superposta.com> YOUR HSBC BANK PACKAGE $5.950M

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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. )
- "consignment " (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)
- "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "cheque " (Beware of any scheme that involves cashing checks or money orders and then wiring a portion of the funds somewhere - you'll be liable for the entire amount if the checks or money orders turn out to be fake, even after you have received and forwarded cash. If it's a lottery prize, remember that real lotteries do not pay large prizes by check. They wire the money directly to your bank account and you do not pay for that. Many scammers promise a large check only in order to then demand payment of courier fees for a fake courier service. )
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- +22999857320 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: Dr Mellisa Lewis <lewis.mellisa@superposta.com>
Reply-To: drmsannaluis@mail.am
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:09:48 +0200
Subject: YOUR HSBC BANK PACKAGE $5.950M

--
Good Day.

The UNITED NATIONS IN Affiliation with HSBC BANK have agreed to compensate
you with the sum of US$5,950,000.00, for self support.This is regarding the
draws he organized before he left the office to help individuals to own a
self charity organization also for your to build your Personal
Company/organization so as to help the less privileged children.

This includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their
contract, inheritance sum, and people that have had an unfinished
transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government
problems and the World financial Crisis etc. We found your name in the list
of those who are to benefit from these compensation exercise and that is
why we are contacting you.

I'm obliged to inform you that I have Paid the fee for the Compensation
award Bank Draft Cheque, for self support, I discovered that before the
cheque will get to your hand that it will expire. So I to cash the
$5.950,000.00, to cash payment to avoid losing this funds under expiration
as I will be out of the country for a 3 Months Course. What you have to do
now is to contact the TNT Express Courier ( tnt.tnt@mail.am) as soon as
possible to know when they will deliver your Consignment package to you
immediatey.For your information, I have paid for the yellow tag fee and
delivery Charge.

The only money you will send to the TNT Diplomatic Courier to deliver your
Consignment Package direct to your postal Address in your country is US$115
only being Security Keeping Fee for the TNT Courier Service 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 dumourrage on your Package with them.

Please write a letter of application to the given address below:

Company Name: TNT Diplomatic Courier
Manager. kessier Febian
Email: tnt.tnt@mail.am
Email: tnt.tnt@om-team.fr
Tel: +229-99 85 73 20

Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address....,nearest
local and international airport..., Direct telephone number..... contact
address.... and Your Passport or Driver's licence.... to avoid wrong
delivery, they will issue you a delivery code#, to enable you track your
consignment box 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 $115.00 for their immediate action to deliver urgently. Note this.
The TNT Courier don't know the contents of the Box Package. I registered it
as a BOX of Africa cloths. They did not know the contents was money. this
is to avoid them delaying with the BOX. Don't let them know that box
contains money ok.

We are sorry for the past inconvieneces

Regards,
Dr Ms Mellisa L. Allen
HSBC BANK
CC DEPT

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam