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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Hon. Mich A" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <imf.debtcommittee@rediffmail.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 08:19:57 -0400
Subject: Re: YOUR AWAITING PAYMENT

IMF Global Debt Settlement Committee
Our Ref: IMF/PYMS/INTER-14
UNO/WBF LM-05-371/LM-05-371

Date: 12/06/14

FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION,

The International Monetary Funds (IMF) Global Debt Committee in conjunction with World Bank has received your pending payment, with international payment voucher number (LM-87-9897) amounting to (Sixteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars). Your name was shortlisted among others whose international payment has long been overdue for payment.

With reference number UNO/WBF LM-87-9897, this amount has been scheduled for immediate release via our committees authorized corresponding bank in Europe or America. The IMF was alarmed on her recent findings on global banking inside practices, perpetuated and instigated by unauthorized banking practice. This unprofessional activity in some bank has resulted in international wire delays, permanent frozen of fund and seizures. In other to resolve the crises, the IMF in conjunction with various foreign Governments and financial agencies has audited and authorized release and payment 291 frozen assets unpaid funds to victims.

Due to the corrupt and inefficient Banking Systems in some countries involved, the Payments are to be supervised by the 'IMF' Officials through our corresponding Bank in Europe. According to the number of applicants at hand, half of the victims are from the United States,Australia,Asian,Middle east and Arabs Nations. You are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to any ongoing communication between you and any individual or bank in connection with your lost for any reason what so ever, this is to avoid conflict with ongoing criminal investigation. You are advised to reconfirm to this committee the following details, to enable us issue irrevocable payment order to authorized the paying bank to affect the release of your funds.

Your full name
Address
Telephone

Be informed, you have the option to receive your payment by (A) WIRE TRANSFERS (B) CASH (C) Draft. We shall feed you with further modalities as soon as we hear from you. Meanwhile, you should communicate the above requested details via our official email.

Yours Faithfully
Hon. Mich A. Campbell.
(Chairman) IMF Global Debt Committee
London, United Kingdom

Anti-fraud resources: