This is a new one (for me, at least)

[Scooter]

Attention: Dear Beneficiary,

This is to bring to your notice that because of the impossibility of your fund
transfer through Bank transfer and western union network, we have credited your
total of Us$2.5 Million valid fund into an ATM MASTER CARD and I have paid the
Processing fee and the delivery of the ATM Card for you, I paid it because the
ATM Card worth of US$2,500,000.00 has already been deposited to the FedEx
Delivery Company. Therefore, you will have to contact them asap for the
delivery.

We decided to help you pay off the money so that the ATM Card will not expire
or called back into Federal Government treasury account because, I trust that
when you receive your ATM Card definitely you must pay me back my money and
even compensate me for helping you. So I want you to contact FedEx Courier
Express with your physical address you desire the delivery to be made so that
they can deliver your ATM Card to your designated address without any delay.

Like I stated earlier, I paid the crediting, delivery and the company
registration charges, but I did not pay their security keeping fees since they
refused reason, is that they do not know when you are going to contact them and
the demurrage might have increased by then, They told me that their security
keeping fees is $98 only.

Below is the Contact Information of the FedEx Express Customer Service:

Director Mr Paul Edward
Email:{www.fedexshippingexpress@gmail.com
Tel: +229 96775294.

Contact them today and also send them the security official keeping charge to
avoid increase of their fees and let me know once you receive your ATM card.
Important Notice: Your ATM CARD package was registered as a gift so that the
diplomatic Agent will not know the content of your package okay.

Regards.
Mr. James William.
Office Administration }
Tel: +229 96775294.

I am trying to figure out the angle here. Does the guy believe that someone will pay him for the "fees" for which he is out of pocket before accepting delivery of this ATM card with $2.5 million on it? If he has supposedly already handed the care over to FedEx for delivery, what leverage does he have to extract reimbursement of these "fees" from his intended dupes?

[Lord Jim]

I am trying to figure out the angle here. Does the guy believe that someone will pay him for the "fees" for which he is out of pocket before accepting delivery of this ATM card with $2.5 million on it? If he has supposedly already handed the care over to FedEx for delivery, what leverage does he have to extract reimbursement of these "fees" from his intended dupes?

I believe it's supposed to work like this; when the mark contacts the bogus FedEx contact:

Below is the Contact Information of the FedEx Express Customer Service:

Director Mr Paul Edward
Email:{www.fedexshippingexpress@gmail.com
Tel: +229 96775294.

"Director Edward" will tell him the card can't be delivered without paying the fee, and give him the info for making the payment...

The scammer's "thinking" here is probably that if he can get the sucker to believe he's dealing with FedEx, he'll be more willing to pay the fee...

Of course the gmail address for "FedEx" and the fact that the scammer didn't even bother to set up a second phone number for this supposed "FedEx Director", (it's the exact same one he has listed in the email for himself ) should be dead giveaways to anyone with even a room temperature IQ that this ain't FedEx...

[Big RR]

But it's such a small risk for such a big payoff. How could you lose?

And why do the people have two first names and no last one?

[Sue U]

I wouldn't trust a come-on like that unless it came from someone with unimpeachable bona fides and reliability -- like a prince.

[Bicycle Bill]

For the record, if you dial +229 you're calling Benin.

And they're getting desperate.  Last time around (2012) they were only sending you $950K, and you were only going to receive it at a rate of $5200 per day.

-"BB"-

[Big RR]

Where is Benin?

[Scooter]

It borders Nigeria on the west.

Oh, wait... (lightbulb going off)

[Bicycle Bill]

Where is Benin?

Formerly French Dahomey and later, after gaining full independence from France in 1960, just Dahomey, it was renamed Benin in 1975.
And it does border Nigeria, Sue, so maybe your prince has just changed his base of operations.

-"BB"-

[Big RR]

Thanks BB, the map helped refresh my recollection.

[Burning Petard]

And just how does one pay that 'small' fee? With a credit card that the guy on the other end drains, and then sells the data to other crooks.

snailgate