419 scam: "info@imf.com" <"info."@trad.ocn.ne.jp> FROM REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF IMF COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC

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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. )
- "money gram" (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. )
- "mtcn" (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. )
- "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned 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.
MoneyGram money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. Along with Western Union it is a preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: "info@imf.com" <"info."@trad.ocn.ne.jp>
Reply-To: "info@imf.com" <info.imf00@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2017 19:22:50 +0900 (JST)
Subject: FROM REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF IMF COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC

FROM REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF IMF COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC
OFFICE ADDRESS 21 GOV ROD CA JACKSON 2 COTONOU BENIN

I AM DR.MIRACLE O FRANCO IMF REPRESENTATIVE IN BENIN REPUBLIC I AM FROM STATE OF AMERICA, I AM WRITING REGARDING YOUR ABANDON FUNDS.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU ABOUT YOUR FUNDS THAT IS UNDER OUR CUSTODY AND YOU ARE NOW QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE AND CONFIRM YOUR OUTSTANDING FUNDS WITH US IMMEDIATELY AS APPROVED BY THIS PANEL INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT I HAVE HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO RECEIVE

THEIR FUNDS IN THE COST OF $300 BECAUSE I HAVE NOTICE THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE WRONG WAY TO RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS. MY DEAR THIS IS MY (10) GOOD YEARS WORKING UNDER (I.M.F) OFFICE AND I HAVE NO CRIMINAL RECORD SO FAR AND IT WILL NOT START IN YOUR OWN TIME RATHER YOU WILL SHOWS YOUR APPRECIATION TO ME BY SENDING ME A GIFT ONCE THIS TRANSFER FINALIZE AND YOU HAVE YOUR FUND RECEIVED AS I PROMISE YOU FROM THE BEGINNING.

YOU AND I KNOWS THAT THERE IS SO MANY SCAMS GOING AROUND THE GLOBAL WORLD TODAY USING NAMES OF BANKS OFFICES AND COMPANY TO SCAM MONEY OUT FROM INNOCENT PEOPLE BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY BODY IS A SCAM.

AS IT STANDS NOW, I HAVE NOTING TO PROVE MYSELF THAT I AM NOT AMONG THE SCAMMERS UNTIL I FULFILLED MY PROMISE BY GETTING YOUR FUND $2.5M TRANSFER TO YOU, THAT IS ONLY WAY I CAN PROVE MYSELF INNOCENT IN THIS MATTER AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT DOING SO FAR BY TRY MY BEST TO MAKE SURE YOU RECEIVE YOUR FUND.

I FEEL THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE NOW IS NOT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY TO SEND BUT LACK OF TRUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN CHEATED MANY TIMES WITH THIS TRICK OF SENDING MONEY TO MINE PEOPLE RELEASE YOUR FUND . ALTHOUGH, I AM NOT AGAINST WHAT YOU HAVE SAID BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO PEOPLE IN THIS GLOBAL WORLD TODAY. WHICH I KNOW THAT AFTER THIS CHARGE YOUR FUND WILL BEEN TRANSFER TO YOU ,KINDLY GIVE ME THIS LAST CHANCE AND TRUST AND SEE IF I WILL NOT FULFILLED MY PROMISE TO YOU BY GETTING YOUR FUND TO YOU WITH OUT ANY FURTHER DELAYS AND REMEMBER THAT THIS WILL BE MY LAST CHANCE TO PROVE

MYSELF INNOCENT, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AFTER YOU SEND THE $300 YOUR FUND WILL BE TRANSFER TO YOU IMMEDIATELY.

BELOW IS THE INFORMATION TO SEND THE MONEY THROUGH WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM TRANSFER STORE AROUND YOU

RECEIVER NAME: PAUL CHIKA
COUNTRY : BENIN REPUBLIC
CITY : COTONOU
QUESTION... A
ANSWER...B
AMOUNT=====$300 USD
MTCN.............................
SENDERS NAME=====

SEND THE PAYMENT DETAILS TO ME WHICH ARE SENDERS NAME AND ADDRESS, MTCN NUMBER, TEXT QUESTION AND ANSWER USED AND THE AMOUNT SENT.
THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.

THANKS AS I WAIT FOR YOUR RESPONSE

YOUR SINCERELY
DR. MIRACLE O FRANCO
IMF REPRESENTATIVE

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam