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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: "IMF REPRESENTATIVE" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <axelsschimmelpfennig@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2013 15:19:00 +0100
Subject: RE: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)
DEPT: WORLD DEBT RECONCILIATION AGENCIES.
ADVISE: YOUR OUTSTANDING PAYMENT NOTIFICATION
 
 
Attn: Beneficiary,
 
Your Long overdue Payment.
 
I saw your email ( in the Central Computer among the list of unpaid contractors, inheritance next of kin and lotto beneficiaries that was originated from Africa, Europe, Asia Plus Middle east, Americans ) among the list of individuals and companies that your unpaid fund has been located to the FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK, USA.
 
Your email appeared among the beneficiaries, who will receive a part-payment of your contractual sum and has been approved already for months. You are requested to get back to me for more direction and instruction on how to receive your fund. However, we received an email from one Mr. Virgle Le Mr. Virgle Lee Samples who told us that he is your next of kin and that you died in a car accident last week. He has also submitted his account for us to transfer the fund to him including his International passport, we want to hear from you before we can make the transfer to confirm if you are dead or not. Please in confirmation that you are still alive, you are advised to reconfirm the below listed information to enable us facilitate an immediate payment for you.
 
1 Your full names
2 Your present contact address.
3 Your telephone & Fax numbers.
4 Your Occupations/age/sex.
5 Your Private Email Address.
6 Home Equity (Yes or No)
 
Once again, I apologize to you on behalf Of IMF (International Monetary Fund) for failure to pay your funds in time, which according to records in the system had been long overdue.
 
Thanks,
 
Mr. Axel Schimmelpfennig
IMF REPRESENTATIVE SOUTH AFRICA

Anti-fraud resources: