419 scam: "Mr Mac Williams" <macwilliams1@sobral.org> RE: DO NOT LET THE FEDEX COURIER COMPANY KNOW THE CONTAINS

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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)
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "the 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)
- "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)
- "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)
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.
- +22998495598 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
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.
- fedexdeliverycompany002@yahoo.fr (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr Mac Williams" <macwilliams1@sobral.org>
Reply-To: fedexdeliverycompany002@yahoo.fr
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2012 04:06:36 +0800
Subject: RE: DO NOT LET THE FEDEX COURIER COMPANY KNOW THE CONTAINS

Dear Friend,

I have paid for the delivery of your consignment by the FedEx company
Benin Republic the Director Desmond Jeff promised that your consignment
will leave immediately they received your re-confirmed information to
avoid wrong delivery.

Now contact them with your full information through their email
address(fedexdeliverycompany002@yahoo.fr) And Call Director Desmond Jeff
with His Mobile +229 98 49 55 98. So that he will know that you are the
owner of the consignment box.

(NB) Please mind your Registration information and don't misplace your
consignment box.

Security Code: (WYH-U01002.
Consignment Box Registration Certificate No; WL20100027
Consignment Box approval Certificate No: HNP44065-12442
Consignment Box Standard Certificate No: Q/LJ047-2011
Security Code No: WYH-U01002
Serial No: XGT01/JLMK20107
Consignment Box Size: 41m by 49m,
Weight of the items: 0,100kg)

Here are the requested information needed by the Director Of The FedEx
Diplomatic Division which they instructed me to emailed you to provide
while contacting them for easier identification:

Kindly re-confirm to them the followings:
Your Full Name_______________
Your current mailing addresses_____________________
Your current Telephone Number_________________________
Update them with the nearest international airport____________ and local
airport_____________to your given address and copy of driving
license_____________

I do not know how much they will charge you as their security keeping fee
as I deposited your consignment on 11th September 2012,But to enable them
deliver your consignment box to your given home address, send them only
$100 US Dollars for their security keeping fees and required them two
things,(a)your tracking numbers,(b)your clearance certified copies wanted
to collect if from the Director Desmond Jeff but he refused as he told me
that I don't have right over these TWO thing as it is what you alone will
have as it is issued in your name before my going, so once you send them
their Security Keeping fees, call the Director Desmond Jeff, to forward
you these necessary documents with tracking numbers ASAP so that you will
keep tracking your Consignment Box Until they arrived at your destination.

Now just call the Director of The FedEx Diplomatic Division Director
Desmond Jeff after payment or send him payment before calling him, and
send him this Security Keeping fee of $100 US Dollars through their
protocol receiver's information via western union.

Receiver's Name---------Mr.Romanus Udalor
Country---------------Benin Republic
City---------------Cotonou
Test Question-----------What Colour
Answer------------------Blue
Amount-------------------$100US Dollars
Mtcn----------------------------

(NB) Please mind your Registration information and don't misplace your
consignment box.

I registered it with the FedEx Courier company in the name of Computer
accessories as its content and I didn't let them know that it contains
funds of US$4.500.000.00 because of fear of betrayal.

Yours faithfully,
Mr Mac Williams

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam