419 scam: "FBI Director"<info@imf.org> (IMF/FBI) YOUR OFFICIAL FUNDS CLAIM RELEASE ORDER.

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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:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "to your nominated bank account" (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)
- "transfer of your funds" (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)
- "economic and financial crimes commission" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "courier company" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
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.
- greg.rhodes@dr.com (Dr; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "FBI Director" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mr._greg.rhodes@dr.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 09:19:30 -0400
Subject: (IMF/FBI) YOUR OFFICIAL FUNDS CLAIM RELEASE ORDER.

Attn: Beneficiary,

I am Mr. Ron Mills, the personal secretary to the FBI Director; Robert S.Mueller III. After proper investigations, we discovered that your impending payment that have been withheld by imposters, claiming to be Mr. Lamido Sanusi (The New Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria), Mr. Patrick Aziza, Mr. Frank Nweke, None existing Officials of the UK winning Lottery, Andy Lear of HSBC bank, Coca-Cola Winning lottery and Mr Abdoulie Janneh (UNECA) among a list of others is now under our custody with the help of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Local Police Force.

Investigations revealed that you have spent a lot on your personal earned money just to conclude the successful Transfer of your funds to your nominated bank account by obtaining transfer documents as requested by these imposters, Costing you a lot of money but all to no avail. The FBI had to send some Financial Crime Investigators from our head quarters in Washington DC to Africa in other to carry out proper investigation, after receiving series of other reports similar to yours as you are not the only person awaiting the legal transfer of funds from Africa.

The FBI has giving authority to the International Monetary Funds (IMF) to assist the Federal Ministry of Finance and all the organization involved; such as the Central Bank, Zenith Bank, and Legit lottery organizations to immediately commence with the compensation of all the beneficiaries awaiting the successful transfer of their funds. With the help of some of the best Internet investigators attached to the FBI, am pleased to inform you that a meeting was held as regards the best way to carry out with the compensation exercise for transparency and most especially to avoid re-occurrence of the delay in transferring your funds.

Contact Mr. Greg Rhodes {Our FBI ATM Rep.} at the ATM PAYMENT CENTER and reconfirm your delivery information as stated below and your security code with five digit (24006) number has to be submitted alongside with your delivery information for security reasons.

DELIVERY INFROMATION:

FULL NAME:
DELIVERY ADDRESS:
CELLPHONE NUMBER:
CURRENT OCCUPATION

CONTACT INFORMATION:
NAME: Mr. Greg Rhodes
EMAIL:mr._greg.rhodes@dr.com
PHONE: 405- 757-4287

NOTE: Under normal circumstances you are suppose to come and collect your ATM CARD in person and sign some documents as proof of the collection of your ATM CARD but the IMF and the Finance Ministry Insisted that you pay for the delivery charges of your ATM CARD via western union money transfer, which
Will cost you only $475 to cut down travel expenses in other for the western union payment receipt And the receipt of payment of $475 to the nominated courier company that will carry out with the Delivery to your door step to be documented in your file as proof of your collection. We hope that it’s very clear. A receipt to this effect will be sent to you and a copy kept in your file for future documentation.

We also advise that you stop further communications with these imposters and forward any correspondence / Proposal you receive from them to Mr. Richard Williams in other for the FBI to bring justice to those still at large.

Mr. Ron Mills.
For: Mr. Robert S .Mueller III
FBI DIRECTOR

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam