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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: "IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <paymentunit2013@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2013 09:19:42 +0100
Subject: REFERENCE FUND AUTHORIZATION CLEARANCE NOTIFICATION FOR US$5.5MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS

From: Fund Office United Nations
One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
885 Second Avenue, 26th Floor (between 47th and 48th Streets)
New York, NY 10017-USA/World Bank
Finance Department Director/International Monetary Fund
Dated: 10TH OF DEC 2013
 
 
REFERENCE FUND AUTHORIZATION CLEARANCE NOTIFICATION FOR US$5.5MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS
 
Attn: Beneficiary,
 
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 June 28-5, 2012, 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, inheritance/next of kin, Late government employees retirement fund and lottery beneficiaries that originated from Europe, Asia Plus Middle east, American and Africa.
 
 
You are among the list of individuals and companies whose unpaid funds have been approved for payment through CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. Under the stipulated guidelines of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other member countries of the United Nations, any amount of money that has been found in the international financial database waiting to be transferred without claims after the submission of every payment report shall be confiscated and forfeited to the United Nations account.
 
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 Number: 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 With CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA which is the paying bank & whose fund is Over due for payment.We do hereby ask you to contact this office within 7 days of receiving this notification to enable us advice you on how to take your claim or consider your fund confiscated.Remember to send the following information below:
 
 
A) Full name & address,
B) Direct Telephone number,
C)Sex
D) Occupation & Age
 
We will be expecting to hear from you.
 
Yours Faithfully,                                                      
 
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde
Fund Office United Nations
One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
885 Second Avenue, 26th Floor (between 47th and 48th Streets)
New York, NY 10017-USA
Email-Address:paymentunit2013@yahoo.com
 
 
-------------------------WARNING---------------------------
 
This communique?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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