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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: I.M.F<imfdept@offices.com>
Reply-To: rev.jamescopeland_imf@usa.com
Date: 23 May 2016 14:51:46 -0400
Subject: Attn: Fund Beneficiary: Are you DEAD OR ALIVE?

Attn: Fund Beneficiary: Payment Code: R578906K,

In the course of our General Auditing and Account revision for the first quarter of the year 2016, it was discovered that Bank Accounts belonging to some Beneficiaries have been changed on the basis that the owners have died some time last year or have given out an authorization note of change of data and other people are trying to lay claims with false identifications with real information’s.

After our investigations it was revealed that there are foreigners who are collaborating with retired staffs to make these changes illegally without the knowledge of the Bonafide Beneficiaries and one traced to your own change is this Mr. Sean Bradford from Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A who stated that you are dead, hence he has forwarded some vital documents of funeral service held for you so as to divert your fund worth $8.371 Million and working with some staffs of IMF, you are advised not to release any info to anyone if you get this warning message.
He also forwarded the following Bank account details as the new account that will receive your money but our information links you as the beneficiary of this fund.

Account Name: Mr.Sean Bradford

Account No: 6110495 4021

Routing No: 011075150

Bank: Sovereign Bank

Bank Address: One Federal Street, Boston MA, 02110 U.S.A

Swift: SVRNUS33

But we wanted to confirm if actually this is true and hence decided to write to your email address which after three (3) days from now and there is no response, we will confirm that you are dead indeed and go on with the transfer process. If proved otherwise by you that you did not die, please forward to us the entire related Beneficiary’s particulars including your Telephone number, contact address.

These details from you will help us reach a conclusion that you are not dead. Anything contrary to this claim will help us charge this man to court and prosecute him while your fund will be paid to you immediately without any further delay. You have to get back to us on time for us to commence legal proceedings against Mr.Sean Bradford and his accomplices.

Yours sincerely in service,
Rev. James L. Copeland
Remittance Director.
International Remittance Dept.

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