419 scam: "Mr.Douglas Shulman"<support@vfm.co.zw> U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department.

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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:
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "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. )
- "are expected to pay " (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)
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
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.
- +27799271669 (South Africa, 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.
- revenue-services@hotmail.com (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)
- i.r.s, contact person: mr.douglas shulman email :(revenue-services@hotmail.com) attention: we write to inform you that your package (Hotmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mr.Douglas Shulman" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <boitumelojweredeplo@webmail.co.za>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2016 19:07:16 +0200
Subject: U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department.

U.S.A. Internal Revenue Service Department.
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington , DC 20520
Greeting from USA I.R.S,
Contact person: Mr.Douglas Shulman
Email :(revenue-services@hotmail.com)

Attention:

We write to inform you that your package with No.-35461121, Allocation No: 674699 Password No: 489336, Pin Code No: 55674 and your Certificate of Merit Payment No: 208, Released Code No: 9901; Immediate Telex confirmation No:-0014678; Secret Code No: XWTN084. Has been in Customs facility custody waiting for resolutions of the clearance to further the delivery to your delivery address by the delivery Agent who came all the way from Africa. We have been waiting for you to contact us regarding your consignment box which the agent suppose to deliver to you which was on hold by USA Customs Department and they are requesting for clearance certificate which will be obtain from the origination of the consignment box before it will be released from the Customs to the delivery agent to complete the delivery.

After the phone call we made on your behalf to the USA Customs Authority and the Government of South Africa, it was resolved that the delivery of your consignment to your address must be complete within Three (3) working days upon your compliance to our directives; You should send the sum of $210 usd to obtain the needed Ownership-clearance certificate from South Africa.

The clearance charges which was initially on the high price has been cut down by the US Embassy in South Africa considering the poor economic situations that make it difficult for the middle class citizens to meet up with the clearance of their entitlement. We will upon the confirmation of your clearing charge assign our Diplomat Agent (Mr. BOITUMELO JWERE) to travel and collect your package and proceed with the delivery.

Meanwhile you are advice to reconfirm the below information upon contacting us to avoid delivery to wrong person after obtaining the needed Ownership-clearance certificate from South Africa because that is what the Customs here are waiting for .

1- Your Full Name:................
2- Your Delivery Address:............
3- Your Contact Telephone Number:........
4- Your Occupation:................
5- Your Identification (Passport or ID Card):.......

Once you notify us with the above information and the needed Ownership-clearance certificate from, the USA Customs will release your consignment to you and it will be delivered to you by the agent, you can contact us with the following information,

Contact Person: Mr.Douglas Shulman
Email: (revenue-services@hotmail.com)

You also advise to contact the delivery agent as well with the delivery address of yours and his e-mail address is this below.

Name: Mr.BOITUMELO JWERE
E-mail :( boitumelojweredeplo@webmail.co.za )
Line: +27799271669

Note that you are expected to pay only $220 usd for Ownership-clearance certificate and you are to pay it to South Africa as the origination of the package in favour of Mr :( DAVID BAFANA) as our accountant officer in Republic of South Africa Send the $220 usd through western union once you receive this mail with the information below for immediate release of your package,

RECEIVER FIRST NAME: ====BOITUMELO
RECEIVER LAST NAME: ====JWERE
Receivers Name :====( BOITUMELO JWERE )
Country/City: =======South Africa (Gauteng)
Test Question: =======TRUST
Answer: ===========GOD
Amount: ===========$220.00usd

Once you send the money to Republic of South Africa to this name, please try to notify us with the MTCN so that we can contact Mr: BOITUMELO JWERE for easy pick up and for immediate action on the release of your Ownership-clearance certificate.
Note that any unclaimed consignment will be return to Republic of South Africa Government after (3) days. So you are urgently advised to comply with our directives so that the Customs will release your consignment.

Yours Sincerely

Mr. Douglas Shulman
Commissioner of Internal
Revenue Service

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam