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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: "International Monetary Fund (IMF)" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <andrew.imfpayment1@terra.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 11:39:56 +0100
Subject: YOUR OVER DUE PAYMENT

From The Desk of: Mr. Andrew Tweedie, Finance Department Director International Monetary Fund(IMF) Milbank Tower, 12th Floor 21-24; Milbank London SW1P 4QP ENGLAND Website: www.imf.org Good Day, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 186 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. As one of the outcomes of the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) summit held on Jun 8-10, 2011, it was decided that IMF will monitor the payment of funds currently floating in the international financial database. Consequently, we write to notify you that you are among those that have a huge sum of money credited in their names for transfer and is currently floating in the international banking community. These funds originated from unpaid contractor sum of US$5,500,000.00, inheritance/next of kin, Late government employees retirement fund and lottery beneficiaries that originated from Europe, Asia Plus Middle east, American and Africa. meanwhile, during the rectification of our payment system we discovered that one Mr. John Walter has forwarded his banking information to our bank stating that you instructed him to claim this funds on your behalf. Please find below his Banking information for your-re-confirmation: Mr. John Walter Bank Name: Citi Bank Account Numbe: 1043903 Routing:2093841 Address: United state of america Urgently confirm to us if you have authorized Mr. John Walter to claim Your funds on your behalf to avoid making payment into any wrong accounts Because your name was found in the original list of beneficiary whose fund is Over due for payment. You are urgently required to reconfirm to us the followings: (1) Your Full Name:______________________ (2) Residential Address:_______________________________________ (3) home Phone: _______________ Fax: ____________Mobile #:______________________________ (4) Profession:_____________ Age: _____________ Marital Status:______________________ (5) Company/Business Name:__________________________ We do hereby ask you to contact this office within 14 days of receiving this notification to enable us advice you on how to take your claim or consider your fund confiscated.Remember to send your current direct phone number for easy communication via my private email address: andrew.imfpayment1@terra.com Mr. Andrew Tweedie, Finance Department Director. +44-7024011493 Email: andrew.imfpayment1@terra.com Website: http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/memdir/officers.htm -----------------------------------------WARNING------------------------------------ This communiqu?is from the International Monetary Fund, beneficiaries are advised to adhere strictly to directives. Any fund beneficiary who ignores instruction will be doing so at his/her own risk.

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