419 scam: "Compensation Unit"<compensationunit@imf.org> Your Message From IMF

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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:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
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:
- "you are advice to " (this email uses bad English)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
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.
- imfworldbankmemofile@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Compensation Unit" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <imfworldbankmemofile@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2015 09:48:46 +0100
Subject: Your Message From IMF

Attn: Client,

This notice is to inform you that you are among the list of Scam Victim to be paid via (IMF) International Monetary Fund Compensation Unit and very surprising this morning, one Mr.Terry Allen by name, called our office today regarding your payment claiming to be your relation and want your Fund release to him, It is very surprising though we have notify you officially but how come you are instructing someone to claim it on your behalf. Before we proceed on releasing the Fund to him, we want to be sure that you authorize him to avoid dealing with wrong person.

Your personal identification number is COPM/IMF/4102. The Compensation Fund value $US5.8Millon).

On this account, you are advice to put it in writing to prove that Mr.Terry Allen is your next of kin and you have authorized him to receive your Fund on your behalf, is right so he can proceed on claim options.

Once this is done, then we can go ahead to release your Fund to Mr Terry Allen and get it transferred to his Account as had provided

Mr Terry Allen

136 S. Virgil avenue #202

Los Angeles California 90004

I wait for your immediate response OK.Email: (imfworldbankmemofile@gmail.com )

Regards,

Dr Bob Emmanuel

Director

Verification

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam