419 scam: "Mrs. Caroline Atkinson"<plscontacton01@yahoo.co.jp> RE: MAKE QUICK CONTACT FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT!!

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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:
- "inheritance funds" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- ",000,000" (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)
- "00,000.00" (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)
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.
- +2347052254443 (Nigeria, 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.
- selcom75@yahoo.co.jp (Yahoo, Japan; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "Mrs. Caroline Atkinson" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mfswoffoce@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:43:37 -0800
Subject: RE: MAKE QUICK CONTACT FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT!!

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
58, RUE DE MOILLEBEAU,
1209 GENEVA-SWITZERLAND
TEL: (41-22) 718 03 00,
FAX: (41-22) 718 03 03

REF.: IMF/SCMV-86769

THIS IS FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION.

RE: YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF USD1,000,000.00.

Based on the present anti-fraud/scam war, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Anti-fraud team in collaboration with the African Union (AU) are making sure that financial fraud is wiped out in the Africa continents completely. The Internet Service Providers have noticed an increased email traffic originating from Africa to other continents, hence the action of the security operatives.

In this regard, three hundred and six (306) bank and government officials have been arrested in so many African and European countries so far and arrest is still going on. We have recovered the total sum of US$3.2 Billion from them in both cash and assets confirmed to have come from their victims and foreign beneficiaries' of both contract funds, inheritance funds and lottery winnings. Thousands of email addresses of victims (which includes yours) have also been recovered from their address books. It is at this juncture that we are contacting you because you are now listed as one of the beneficiaries of the IMF/AU compensation payment of 2011 batch "A".

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) with the African Union (AU) are making refunds of US$1,000,000.00 each to all foreigners whom his/her email address is listed on the recovered address book of these arrested fraudulent officials. This refund is of two types:-
(a) Those who are beneficiaries of either contract, inheritance or lottery funds. (b) Those who are simply found to be scam victims, by receiving fraudulent and scam email letters from these officials, will receive a flat rate compensation of US$1,000,000.00 each.

Your compensation payment will be release to you through the office of our West African Finance Director on your contact to them as instruction for the release of your compensation payment has already been passed to them and the issuing bank. You have to direct your communication to our West African Finance Director ONLY on the below information to claim your compensation payment:-

Contact Person: Andrew Tweedie [West African Finance Director]
Email:selcom75@yahoo.co.jp
Telephone: +234-7052254443

Endeavour to send the following details required for verification and subsequent release of your compensation payment.
===================================================
1. Full Names:..................................................
2. Address:......................................................
3. Telephone/Mobile:.....................................
4. Age and Gender:..........................................
5. Nationality:...................................................
6. Occupation:...................................................
====================================================
NOTE: You are hereby advised to disassociate yourself from any form of communication with these bank and government officials mostly from African countries and follow our guidelines.

Yours Sincerely,

Sign:
Mrs. Caroline Atkinson
External Relations Dept Director.
IMF Geneva-Switzerland.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam