419 scam: USA INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS AUTHO <usa_imf_authorities@verizon.net> From International Monetary Fund, 700 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20431

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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:
- "million us dollars" (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)
- "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.
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.
- +22997901333 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: USA INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS AUTHO <usa_imf_authorities@verizon.net>
Reply-To: usa_imf_authorities@qatar.io
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:36:46 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: From International Monetary Fund, 700 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20431 USA.

>From International Monetary Fund, 700 19th
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20431 USA.

Attention ,

Please we
are here to let you know that you are going to receive your consignment that has
been here for a long time now and too that we have finalized to release it to
you and it is total sum of $5.3Million Us Dollars and the funds is from the
Government Of Benin Republic which we have already discussed with His Excellency
Mr. President Dr Thomas Boni Yayi and the Federal Ministry Of Finance of Benin
Republic and after the discussion was finalized with them , they agreed and gave
us an order and authority to release you $5.3 Million , but you have to contact
the Federal Ministry Of Finance of Benin Republic to obtain an FUNDS OWNERSHIP
CERTIFICATE and it will only cost you sum of $155 to obtain it because we need
it before we can release the funds to you so that your payment will be
legal.

Federal Ministry Of Finance Of Benin
Republic. Headquarters, Ahmadu Bello Way, Central Business District, P.M.Box
41,Tokpa Cotonou Benin Republic.
E-mail;;Federal_Ministry_of_finance_benin_republic@qatar.io
Tel:+229 979 013
33
Contact Person;Hon Ben
Fred.

And here is the information where to send the 155 to
the Federal Ministry Of Finance Of Benin Republic.
Receiver's name_____NWALIEJI MARCEL OLUCHUKWU.
COUNTRY____BENIN REPUBLIC.
CITY_____COTONOU.
TEXT QUESTION____ME.
Answer_____YOU.
Amount______$155
And after obtaining the FUNDS OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE,
please you advise to fill this information below and forward it to us as you
want your funds to be wire transfer to you account.

YOUR FULL NAME.............
HOME ADDRESS..................
YOUR TELEPHONE
NUMBER..............
FULL BANKING
INFORMATION....................
SWIFT
CODE...........................................................
NAME OF
COUNTRY..................................................
NAME OF
BANK............................................................
ACCOUNT
NUMBER..............................................................
ROUTING
NUMBER......................................................................

Thanks and regards to your family.
E-mail;;;;usa_imf_authorities@qatar.io

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam