419 scam: "INTERNATIONAL MONEYTARY FUNDS"<example@example.org> ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY<<< ARE YOU TRULY DEAD OR ALIVE >>>

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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:
- "power of attorney" (with your bank details and a power of attorney form criminals sometimes empty bank accounts)
- "international remittance department" (Banks mentioned in 419 scams are always fake (real banks don't communicate using mobile phones or free webmail addresses))
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.

Fraud email example:

From: "INTERNATIONAL MONEYTARY FUNDS" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <davidreetz123@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2017 17:45:25 +0200
Subject: ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY<<< ARE YOU TRULY DEAD OR ALIVE >>>

ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY ,

Once Again, I am writing to inform you that your fund is ready for payment, as approved by the ministry of finance. this time however, I wish to confirm from you if Mr. Jerry Thomas who is in our office for the same reason, has your mandate to receive your funds on your behalf as he stated that you are ill and hospitalized, as he is claiming with written evidence signed by you. for your information, Mr. Jerry Thomas is from Houston Texas, U.S.A.

Because this office will not be liable to any wrong payment, kindly note that upon your confirmation of his mandate and authorization, we shall have no other option than to pay the funds into the following
bank account detail, as submitted by Mr. Jerry Thomas

Citizens Bank Of East Tennessee,
207 Washington street,Rogers villetn 37857-0000.

Account Number: 705383140
Routing Number; 064202967.
Swift Code: CBE05G320R
Beneficiary Name: Jerry A. Thomas

Kindly update this office if you authorized him to claim your fund on your behalf. We will inform you on your response how you will receive your payment if you did not authorized him to claim your fund but if you are the one who authorized him then return this mail with the copy of the Power of Attorney (POA) to enable us released the fund to him.

As soon as we hear from you that you did not authorized him, then this office will link you up with a Loan Firm that can help you pay for the wire transfer of your fund worth. After which the payment is sent to to our accounting officer, he's going to pay in the money to the International Remittance Department and as soon as they confirm the deposited fee, your fund shall be released without further delay.

Yours Faithfully,
Mr. DAVID REETZ

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam