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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: "International Monetary Fund (IMF)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <2495357963@qq.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2015 17:11:54 +0100
Subject: PAYMENT UPDATE (VERY URGENT!!!)

International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Office of the Managing Director
In Conjunction with the U.S. Department of the Treasury
1900 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20431
DATE: 29/06/2015
Dear Sir/Madam,
This organization under the directives of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and United Nations due to series of complaint and petitioned filed, wish to bring to your utmost attention that we have just concluded a strategic meeting among G20 nations to settle all unclaimed payment of inheritance/contract/compensation to only shortlisted beneficiaries approved by the IMF.
Base on the agreement reached by all G20 Nations, we have this day completed a comprehensive database review and verification exercise on all shortlisted beneficiaries. And we discover that your email is among the first batch of 11,894 beneficiaries already shortlisted for the Second Quarter (Q2) of 2015. The details indicated in the Payment Verification/Approval Schedule have been approved and submitted to the IMF Debt Payment & Quality Service Approval Unit for immediate processing to all stated in the list.
In agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, we the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is hereby directing all individuals and organizations who for one reason or the other did not receive their funds in their home country of origin to channel their reports in formal application to the Paymaster General for immediate attention.
Send your Formal Application with payment sort Identification code: IMF/USTD/G-20/015 as follows
=================================================================
To: Office of the Paymaster General
IMF Debt Payment & Quality Service Approval Unit
Mr. Robert Chen
E-mail:  2495357963@qq.com
Dear Sir
I ,  ................. humbly wish to apply for the release of my fund with your institution as approved by the IMF with Sort Identification Number: IMF/USTD/G-20/015
I hereby open communication with you as regards to this development by providing my valid information below.
1. Full Names:.......
2. Home or business (Office) Address:........
3. Active Mobile Telephone:..........
4. A Valid License or Passport I.D:...........
5. Inheritance/Contract/Compensation amount:...........
I am ready to adhere to your procedures so as to achieve this aim should my application be granted due and urgent attention.
Yours Sincerely
Indicate your Name/Date
=====================================================================
However, be guaranteed of our appropriate monitoring of this project till it is successfully completed.
Thanks for your Co-operation.
Ms. Christine Lagarde
Managing Director-International Monetary Funds (IMF)

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