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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: "OFFICE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <internmonetaryfunds@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2013 06:18:20 -0700
Subject: [GSN Suspected Spam] OFFICIAL FROM INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS (IMF)

  
FROM The Desk Of: PRESIDENT CHRISTINE LAGARDE
Managing Director; International Monetary Funds (IMF).

TOP URGENT ATTENTION OF:LEGALLY ENDORSED BENEFICIARY OF US$15.5 MILLION US DOLLAR


WE ARE SO SURPRISE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SUCH NEWS CONCERNING YOU BUT WE INTEND TO GET FACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE FURTHER ACTIONS WILL BE TAKEN IN THIS MATTER.

TAKE URGENT NOTICE THAT (MR.ROBERT LEE HOLLENBECK) SUBMITTED HIS APPLICATION TO US STATING THAT YOU ARE SERIOUSLY SICK AND HOSPITALIZED WITH A VERY BAD SICKNESS CALLED CANCER IN THE BRAIN AND YOU SINCERELY ASKED HIM TO CLAIM YOUR FUND FROM THIS OFFICE AND THAT HAS BEEN THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE NOT CONTACTED US FOR LONG FOR THE CLAIMED OF YOUR FUND FROM THIS OFFICE.

THIS INFORMATION IS SURPRISING TO THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF) BUT WE INTEND TO CONFIRM FROM YOU FIRST BEFORE HE WILL BE ALLOWED TO PAY THE REQUIRED FEES NEEDED FROM YOU AT THE FIRST PLACE FOR THE RELEASE OF THE APPROVED COMPENSATION SUM $15.5 MILLION US DOLLARS TO HIM AS HE HAS SO REQUESTED IN HIS APPLICATION TO THIS OFFICE.

BASED ON THE STATED APPLICATION WHICH HE MADE US TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ASKED HIM TO PROMISE YOU THAT AS SOON AS THE FUND IS BEEN CLAIMED BY HIM THAT HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY WITH THE PART OF FUND AND THAT IS THE MAJOR REASON WHY HE IS CONTACTING THIS OFFICE TO SECURE THE CLAIM OF THIS FUND AND SEND ALL THE NEEDED FEES FOR THE RELEASE OF THE APPROVED FUND TO HIS OWN ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE DOCTOR IN CHARGE OF YOUR TREATMENT IN THE HOSPITAL TOLD THEM THAT YOU WILL BE A DEAD MAN LATEST IN TWO WEEKS TIME.

WE ARE STILL DOUBTING THIS INFORMATION UNTIL YOU CONFIRM TO US SERIOUSLY THAT YOU AUTHORIZED HIM TO CLAIM THIS FUND AS THE RIGHTFUL OWNER AND NOTE THAT FAILURE TO RESPOND TO US MEANS THAT YOU TRULY GAVE HIM THE GO AHEAD FOR THE CLAIM OF YOUR FUND AND WE SHALL BE LEFT WITH NO FURTHER OPTION THAN TO RELEASE THE FUND TO HIM.

WE RECEIVED COPIES OF HIS PICTURES IN THE APPLICATION NOTICE FOR LEGAL IDENTIFICATIONS BEFORE WE CAN MAKE CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP FROM YOUR NAME TO HIS OWN NAME IN YOUR PAYMENT FILE. AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK TO US IMMEDIATELY WE SHALL ATTACH COPIES OF HIS PICTURES SENT TO US IN HIS APPLICATION ENVELOPE FOR YOUR OWN PERUSAL AND YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISSUE IS VERY SERIOUS AND NEED'S TO BE HANDLED WITH CARE TO AVOID US RELEASING THIS FUND TO THE WRONG PERSON WITHOUT YOUR AUTHORIZATION TO THIS PAYMENT.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
PRESIDENT CHRISTINE LAGARDE
Managing Director; International Monetary Funds (IMF).
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS 'IMF'

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