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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "(IMF) FINANCIAL MONETARY UNIT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <rppc@gmx.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:02 -0700
Subject: DELIVERY VIA REGULAR MAIL SERVICE. VERY IMPORTANT

FINANCIAL MONETORY DEPARTMENT/UNIT (IMF)
REGIONAL OFFICE: 44 ZUMA CLOSE, ABUJA.
EMAIL: rppc@gmx.com


ATTENTION BENEFICIARY:

THIS IS TO INFORM YOU OF A VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION WHICH WILL BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO YOU TO REDEEM YOU FROM ALL THE DIFFICULTIES YOU HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING IN GETTING YOUR LONG OVERDUE PAYMENT DUE TO EXCESSIVE DEMAND FOR MONEY FROM YOU BY BOTH CORRUPT BANK OFFICIALS AND COURIER COMPANIES AFTER WHICH YOUR FUNDS REMAIN UNPAID TO YOU.

I AM (Roberto Pedro Clements), FINANCIAL COUNSELOR AND DIRECTOR MONETARY AND CAPITAL MARKETS DEPARTMENT, IMF. IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT REPORTS HAVE REACHED OUR OFFICE BY SO MANY CORRESPONDENCE ON THE UNEASY WAY WHICH PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE TREATED BY VARIOUS BANKS AND COURIER COMPANIES ACROSS EUROPE TO AFRICA AND ASIA AND WE HAVE DECIDED TO PUT A STOP TO THIS AND EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS IN WHICH THEIR REPORTS HAVE REACHED OUR DESK. THAT IS THE REASON WHY I WAS APPOINTED TO HANDLE ALL TRANSACTIONS HERE IN NIGERIA.

ALL PRIVATE FIRMS, FINANCE COMPANIES, BANKS, SECURITY/COURIER COMPANIES WHICH HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH YOU OF LATE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO BACK UP FROM YOUR TRANSACTION AND YOU HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO RESPOND TO THEM ANYMORE SINCE THE IMF IS NOW DIRECTLY IN CHARGE OF YOUR PAYMENT. YOU ARE HEREBY ADVISED NOT TO REMIT FURTHER PAYMENT TO ANY INSTITUTIONS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR TRANSACTION AS YOUR FUND WILL BE SENT TO YOU THROUGH REGULAR MAIL SERVICE BY OUR AGENT (MR. DANIEL OLIVER). I HOPE THIS IS CLEAR. ANY ACTION CONTRARY TO THESE INSTRUCTIONS IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

RESPOND WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT AND WE SHALL GIVE YOU FURTHER DETAILS ON HOW YOUR FUND WILL BE RELEASED. CALL OUR DIRECT HOTLINE AS SOON AS YOU SEND THE E-MAIL SO THAT YOU WILL BE GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AS I AM A VERY BUSY PERSONALITY AND FOR ME TO INCLUDE YOU IN MY SCHEDULES.

DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR,
MR. ROBERTO P. CLEMENTS.
(IMF) FINANCIAL MONETORY DEPARTMENT/UNIT.




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