The "World Bank and the IMF" Advance Fee Scams Being Sent by Online Scammers

The fake "World Bank and the IMF" email below is a scam. Recipients are asked to delete it and should not follow the instructions in it. The fake email is being sent by scammers who are attempting to trick their potential victims into sending them money or personal information. An advance-fee scam is a form of fraud and one of the most common types of confidence trick. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster requires in order to obtain the large sum.

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The World Bank and the IMF Advance Fee Scams Being Sent by Online Scammers

A "World Bank and the IMF" Advance-Fee Scam

From: Barclays Bank Plc UK <account@mail.k12ea.gov.tw>

Date: April 3, 2019 at 4:37:30 AM MDT

To: undisclosed-recipients:;

Subject: Inheritance/Contract Fund

Reply-To: helen.keelan@aol.com

Barclay's Bank PLC, UK

1 Churchill Place

London, E14 5HP, United Kingdom

http://www.barclays.co.uk

Dear Esteemed Customer,

We at this bank wish to congratulate and inform you that after through review of your Inheritance/Contract funds transfer release documents in conjunction with the World Bank and the IMF assessment report, your payment file was forwarded to us for immediate transfer of a part-payment of US$800,000.00 to your designated bank account from their offshore account with us

The audit reports given to us, shows that you have been going through hard times by paying a lot of money to see to the release of your funds, which has been delayed by some dubious officials.

We therefore advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence outside this office since you do not have to pay any money or fee to receive your funds as you have met up with the whole funds transfer requirements.

The only thing required from you is to obtain the Non-Residential Clearance to enable us credit your account directly by telegraphic transfer or through any of our corresponding banks and send copies of the funds transfer release documents to you and your bankers for confirmation.

Should you follow our directives, your funds will be credited and reflect in your bank account within five (5) bank working days from the day you obtain this Non-Residential Clearance.

For further details and assistance on this Remittance Notification, kindly forward your

FULL NAME:

FULL CONTACT ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE and FAX NUMBERS:

Directly to my private ;E-mail: mrshelenkeelan@mail2finance.com,helenkeeln.bbplc@outlook.com

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Helen Keelan

Head, International Banking Division.

Barclay's Bank PLC, UK.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 3)

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October 9, 2019 at 6:06 PM by
The "World Bank and the IMF" Advance Fee Scams Being Sent by Online Scammers
info

Here is another scam:

"From: Hafez Ghanem <aquiles.marrero@credicard.com.ve>

Date: Wed, Oct 9, 2019 at 1:29 PM

Subject: Attn:

To: Recipients <aquiles.marrero@credicard.com.ve>

Attn:

I have important information for you based on your outstanding payment. Send all response to hafezghanem1965@aol.com

Hafez Ghanem

Vice President, World Bank"

Delete

June 23, 2019 at 6:11 PM by
The "World Bank and the IMF" Advance Fee Scams Being Sent by Online Scammers
info

"From: "JIM YONG KIM"<yimj@dew.net>

Date: June 23, 2019 at 8:25:11 AM MST

To: mail@office.com

Subject: Your Urgent Response is Needed

Reply-To: <bankbk119@gmail.com>

WORLD BANK) Head Office

The World Bank 1818 H Street,

N.W. Washington, DC 20433 U.S.A.

Debt Release Funds.

Our Ref:-4C9X0UE3X0

ATTENTION; FUND BENEFICIARY.

We hope this notification arrives meeting your good health and mind.

WORLD BANK in conjunction with some other relevant investigation

agencies here in the United STATES of AMERICA have recently been

informed through our Global intelligence monitoring network that you

have an over-due payment in tone of (FIVE Million Five hundred thousand

United States dollars). with UNITED BANK OF AFRICA

NOTE: There are numerous scam emails on the internet, impostor

impersonating names and images. We therefore warn our dear citizens to

be very careful with any claim email you receive prior to these

irregularities so that they do not fall victim to this ugly

circumstance anymore. And should in case you are already dealing with

anybody or office claiming that you have a payment with them, you are

to STOP further contact with them immediately in your best interest

and contact the real bank Union BANK of AFRICA only where your

fund is laying, with the below information:

Bank Name: UNION BANK OF AFRICA

NAME: Mr Frank Obi

DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT DEPARTMENT/REMITTANCE

Email: bankbk119@gmail.com

Contact the bank today and furnish them with this information below

for processing of your payment/funds accordingly.we will be monitoring

your transaction till you receive your over due payment,this is the agreement

between united nations and European union/America government to ensure smooth

transaction and stop scam.do not say we did not contact you,united nations is

also monitoring with IMF unit to make sure all goes well.just make sure you

follow any instruction giving to you,you must receive your fund under 7 bank

working days just watch and see, seeing is believing .

FULL NAME:

CURRENT ADDRESS:

DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER:

NOTE: In your best interest, any message that does not come from the

above email address should be nullified and avoided

immediately for security reasons.

SIGNED

JIM YONG KIM

WORLD BANK GROUP PRESIDENT"

Here is another scam.

Delete

April 4, 2019 at 12:07 PM by
The "World Bank and the IMF" Advance Fee Scams Being Sent by Online Scammers
info

Here is another scam:

"PAYMENT RELEASE UPDATE

Thu 4/4/2019 1:53 AM

From: "Andrew Tweedie ( Director Finance Department"

Attention: Sir/Madam

I hope this email finds you in a convenient condition.

On behalf of Christine Lagarde, the IMF director and at large, I am Andew Tweedie, Director Finance Department, International Monetary Fund - IMF. Also, i have been authorized to contact you.

First, we introduce this commission, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF), we fight cyber crime, Internet fraud, scam and money laundering in any part of the world, Our commission has been in existences since 2002 and our duty is to stop internet fraud.

The Leaders of the World Crime fighters, and (IMF) has come together to inform the world what is going on and we have recovered over $522 Million dollars (Five Hundred and Twenty two million dollars) from the fraudsters around the world.

However, these body IMF had a meeting and have concluded in compensating you the victim with the amount of $8.3 million dollars. The reason we are writing you this letter is to reconfirm your full information and our aim is to refund all lost fund to its legitimate owner through our paying bank here in the U.S.

I will look forward to reading from you which will enable us proceed further to releasing your fund to your designated bank account upon receiving your quick reply.

regards,

Andrew Tweedie

Director Finance Department

Delete

Write Your Comment, Question, Answer, or Review

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

The "World Bank and the IMF" Advance Fee Scams Being Sent by Online Scammers