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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 EUROPE <online1282463@telkomsa.net>
Reply-To: Helen Valdez <helen.valdez0001@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2018 09:30:25 +0200 (SAST)
Subject: Greetings from an Orphan

Dear sir
My name is Helen Valdez of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) of the IMF.
The IMF through an electronic random pick has chosen your name for compensation/payment.
At the meeting of heads of international financial institutions held recently in Geneva Switzerland the key topics up for discussion by the World Bank Group included the implementation of the World Bank's strategy within the framework of the 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
The IMF is still optimistic in its semi-annual growth outlook.
However in view of the Global Economic Recovery, in the IMF Steering Committee, Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer among other things welcomed the proposed structural reforms, which includes the swift release of beneficiaries funds because in so doing once these funds are back in circulation the financial growth that we sought for will be achieved sooner than later.
Therefore some transactions that require our urgent attention were listed out.
This report which concerns 2 categories of transactions show that the first category are transactions that the beneficiary was issued a VISA ATM Card and for some unconventional reasons the transaction was not concluded and beneficiary goals were not accomplished after series of process he/she went through.
And the second category that involves those who are among those randomly chosen through an electronic random pick to benefit from this program.
You are among the individuals who fall under these 2 categories.
We therefore decided that your funds will be released to you through an Auto Loaded System (ALS).
This means that your funds will be auto loaded into your existing VISA ATM Card.
This Auto loading will be monitored by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
You are therefore advised to contact FATF who will facilitate the Auto loading of your funds into your existing VISA ATM Card. FATF E-mail contact is: fatf-taskforce@protonmail.com
Best Regards,
Helen Valdez
IMF EUROPE
ATM Tracking department

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