419 scam: "Mrs.Linda Williams" <lindawilliam044@superposta.com> YOUR PACKAGE HAS LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AND FOUR DAYS TO EXPIRE

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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:
- "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)
- "upscou_comp111@live.com" (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.
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.
- +22998211297 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs.Linda Williams" <lindawilliam044@superposta.com>
Reply-To: upscou_comp111@live.com
Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:40:57 +0800 (CST)
Subject: YOUR PACKAGE HAS LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AND FOUR DAYS TO EXPIRE

Attention:Beneficiary,

ATTN: Payment Notification! This is to bring your notice that I have paid the courier charges and the delivery of your ATM CARD,I paid it because the ATM CARD worth $1.500.000.00 Us Dollars has less three weeks and four days to expire and when it expires the money will go into Government reserve for that I decided to help you pay the money so that the ATM CARD will not expire, because I know when you get your ATM CARD definitely you must compensate me.

Now your ATM CARD has been deposited with UPS Courier Company to delivery so i want you to contact Ups Courier Company with your Full Contact information's so that they can deliver your ATM CARD to your designated address without any delay like i stated earlier, The delivery charges has been paid but i did not pay their official keeping fees since they refused, the Reasons they refuse is because their do not know when you are going to contact them. They told me that their keeping fee is $15 per day and i deposited it on Saturday this week which is Four days Today.So you will have to contact them immediately and paid them the Four days keeping fee of 15$ time Four days today which is $60usd.Contact them now to aviod the increase of the durmurage fee.

Below is their Contact In formations,
Contact Person:Mr,Edward Prince
Contact phone number is +22998211297
Email :(upscou_comp111@live.com)

Contact them today to avoid increase of their keeping fees and let me know once you receive your ATM CARD, The addition fees was calculated $60 today, and note that failure to do so today another $15 will be added by tomorrow and bear it in mind that the addition $15 must be continuously adding every blessed day.

Here is the information you use send the $60 today Via Western Union and remember that it will be $75 by tomorrow if you fail to send the money today.

Receiver...Name:Onyebosi Chikeluo
Country....Benin-Republic
City.......Cotonou.
Text Question...When
Answer.....Today.
Amount.....Us$60.00
MTCN.....................
Sender's Name.........

Waiting to hear from you as soon as you received this mail today
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs Linda William

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam