FedEx Brand Used in Lottery Scam
When it comes to package delivery, there's no name that elicits more trust than the FedEx brand. And that's undoubtedly why scammers are sending a blend of Nigerian 419 and lottery scams in an email that pretends to be from "FedEx Courier". The email claims the recipient has won an international lottery and the "cheque" is sitting at FedEx waiting to be delivered. The scammers instruct the recipient to send them their name, address, and phone number - along with a 'processing fee' to satisfy alleged taxing and other requirements. Those who fall for the scam and send the processing fee are often contacted with another tall tale - this time that other winners of the same lottery have been declared ineligible and now the winnings are even greater. Thus the victim is instructed to send even more money to satisfy the alleged increase in taxes and processing fees. Of course, there are no winnings - the only money that ever changes hands is the money the scammer collects from the victim.
The elderly are particularly prone to such scams. In many cases, they are even being deliberately targeted. This may be due in part to their having lived in a more protected time, a time prior to the international explosion of the Internet. A time when Uncle Sam was still able to police business practices and crackdown on the unscrupulous. In other words, the elderly may fall victim not due to any lapse in cognitive abilities, but rather because they've never been exposed to a world in which these sorts of scams were able to occur.
The 72-year-old Ann Mowle was one such victim. A single mom and experienced bookkeeper, she put three children through college and managed to tuck away a tidy sum for retirement. She planned to travel and to contribute to her grandchildren's continuing education. Instead, she was taken in by lottery scammers and eventually took her own life as a result.
Talk to your parents, your aunts, your grandparents, your elderly neighbors. Let them know the laws that once protected them aren't enough to keep today's scammers at bay. Talk to them about lottery scams, advance fee fraud, phishing, and other challenges presented by today's borderless world. Because if you don't talk to them, chances are a scammer will.
Wednesday, October 29, 2009
Dear customer,
You have a Package that is registered with us for shipping. However,
the content is a Bank Draft worth is $800,000 USD (Eight Hundred
Thousand US Dollars).Reg .Number: P-01-402761625/Reg Date: 10/27/2009.
Your package was registered with us for mailing by your colleague who
is currently undergoing survey project with NNPC (Nigeria National
Petroleum Company). We are sending you this email because your package
is registered on a Special Order. What you have to do now, is to contact our
Delivery Department for immediate dispatch of your package to your
residential address. Note: As soon as our Delivery Team confirms your
information,
it will take three working days (72Hrs) for your package to arrive
at your designated
destination. For your information, Shipping charges as well as
Insurance fees have been paid by your colleague.
However, the only payment you are to make is £210 GBP to the FedEx
Delivery Department being full payment for Customs Duty Certificate.
Please Note: All registered package with us have a time limitation and you
are to meet up with this payment to facilitate immediate attention
toward the delivery of your package. Note: Your colleague did not leave us
with
any further information.
We hope that you respond to us as soon as possible because if you fail
to respond until the expiry date of the foremost package, we may refer
the package to the British Commission for Welfare as the package do not
have a return address. Contact the delivery department (FedEx Ship Manager)
with the details given below:
Contact Person: Mr. Richard Raynor
Email: fedex.courier2@live.com
Tel: +2348066879532.
Kindly complete the below form. This is mandatory to reconfirm your Postal
address for clarification.
FULL NAMES:
TELEPHONE:
POSTAL ADDRESS:
Zip/Postal code:
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
As soon as your details are received, our delivery team will give you
the necessary payment procedure for Customs Duty Certificate and
Tariff. As soon as they confirm your payment of £210 GBP they shall
immediately
dispatch your package to the designated address with the attach
Tracking Number. It usually takes 72 Hours being an express delivery service.
Ensure to contact the delivery department with the email address and
ensure to fill the
above form as well to enable successful reconfirmation.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. .Mary Maxwell
FedEx Management Team.
All rights reserved. © 1996-2009 FedEx
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