Beware of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Email Scam
Written by: Stelian Pilici
Published on:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a reputable international organization that aims to improve global economic stability and reduce poverty, but unfortunately, scammers have been known to exploit its reputation to con people into sending money or personal information. One common scam involves fake emails supposedly from the IMF or its officials, which often tell a sob story about the victim being mistreated by banks or other organizations and claim that the IMF is now handling the victim’s transaction. The scammer then asks for personal information or for the victim to send money in order to receive their funds.
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What is the International Monetary Fund (IMF) email scam?
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a global organization that works to promote economic stability and reduce poverty around the world. Unfortunately, scammers have been known to use the IMF’s reputation to try to trick people into sending them money or personal information. One common scam involves the use of fake emails purporting to be from the IMF or its officials. These emails often include a sob story about how the victim has been mistreated by banks or other organizations, and claim that the IMF is now in charge of the victim’s transaction. The scammer then asks the victim to provide personal information or send money in order to receive their funds. It is important to remember that the IMF would never ask for personal information or money in this way. If you receive an email claiming to be from the IMF or one of its officials, do not respond to it and do not send any personal information or money. Instead, report the email to the authorities and delete it from your inbox.
Here is what a typical International Monetary Fund (IMF) scam message looks like:
Subject: REF:-XVGNN82023 ( I.M.F ) Head Office Paris Office 64-66, Avenue d’lena 75116 Paris, France Tel:+33757906502,+33757935732 REF:-XVGNN82023
I am Franks Jeffrey, a highly placed official of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It may interest you to know that reports have reached our office by so many correspondences on the uneasy way which people like you are treated by Various Banks and Courier Companies/ Diplomat across Europe to Africa and Asia /London Uk and we have decided to put a stop to that and that is why I was appointed to handle your transaction here in U/K and U.S.A
All Governmental and Non-Governmental prostates, NGOs, Finance Companies, Banks, Security Companies and Courier companies which have been in contact with you of late have been instructed to back up from your transaction and you have been advised NOT to respond to them anymore since the IMF is now directly in charge of your payment.
The most annoying thing is that the bad officials won’t tell you the truth that on no account will they ever release the fund to you, instead they allow you spend money unnecessarily, I do not intend to work here all the days of my life, I can release this fund to you if you can certify me of my security.
I hope this is clear. Any action contrary to this instruction is at your own risk. Respond to this e-mail on ( officice6@gmail.com) with immediate effect and we shall give you further details on how your fund will be released.
1.Full Name:……… 2.Address:………. 3.Nationality:…… 4.Age:……..Date of Birth:……….. 5.Occupation:………… 6.Phone :……………Mobile: ………….:……………. … 7.State of Origin:………………….Country:…………….. 8. Copy of your identity Card
Yours sincerely,
Franks Jeffrey Director, IMF Europe Office
To the knowledge of the Beneficiary.
Re Payment of $5.2m 2021 UNPAID FUND RECOVERED LETTER In our efforts to foster global monetary cooperation secures financial stability and facilitates individual company economic growth.
The IMF through our international monitoring network has recovered your UNPAID FUND $5.2m that has been on hold.
We hereby advise you to reconfirm to this office officially if you are the person that instructed Mr. RAVIS RAY LUNN of America to claim and receive the payment on your behalf before we send your fund transfer instruction to one of our approved paying banks to contact you for the release of your fund.
For your information we have the following banks as our nominated/approved payment banks, Lloyd’s Bank London, Citibank New York and CMB WING LUNG Bank Hong Kong.
Please, Re-confirm as follows (1) Your Full Name……..? (2) Full Residential Address: (P.O.BOX NOT ALLOWED)? (3) Country/State……….? (4) Beneficiary Amount? (5) Direct and Current Phone? (6) Passport identification?
Please you are also required to clarify the following immediately: 1. IS Williams Rogers your local representative? 2. Did you broker your fund to one Mr. TRAVIS RAY LUNN of America to claim? And receive the payment on your behalf?
3. Did you sign any “Deed of Assignment” in his favor, thereby making him the current beneficiary with the following account details to receive your fund?
Mr. TRAVIS RAY LUNN Address 55601 SWAN RD.SUNRIVER BEND, OREGON 97707 USA Account Name: TRAVIS RAY LUNN Bank Name: WELLS FARGO Bank Address: 450 NE WINDY KNOLLS DR BEND,OR,97701 Beneficiary Account Number: 8210526748 Swift Code:WFBIUS6S Routing Number for wire Transfer: 12100024
Please confirm so that we can proceed with your fund payment as we don’t anticipate any further delay.
Contact Mr. Wilbur Autry. Operation department for further Directive. Email: wilburautry.imf@aol.com
Thank you and have a nice day.
Regards Dr Ms. Kristalina Georgieva Managing Director
It is important to be aware of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) email scam and to be cautious of any unsolicited emails claiming that you are the next of kin to a deceased individual or that you are entitled to inherit a large sum of money. Do not provide personal information or send money in response to these emails, as they are likely scams designed to steal your money or identity. If you receive an email of this nature, it is best to delete it and to report it to the appropriate authorities.
Is the International Monetary Fund (IMF) email real?
No. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) email scam tries to trick you to provide personal information and sending money to facilitate the transfer of the donation. To make the email more credible, these scammers use fake invoice numbers, renewal dates, official logos, and promotional banners.
Here are signs that this email is a scam, even though it looks like it comes from a company you know — and even uses the company’s logo in the header:
A generic greeting is used in place of a name (eg. “customer,” “account holder,” or “dear”).
The sender’s email address is not associated with a legitimate domain name
The email invites you to click on a link to resolve an issue. Most reputable organizations will not ask users to disclose sensitive information (e.g. credit card numbers) by clicking on a link.
There is a time limit or uncharacteristic sense of urgency
Poor grammar, spelling, and sentence structure may hint that an email is not from a reputable source.
While real companies might communicate with you by email, legitimate companies won’t email or text message you with a link to login or update your account. Phishing emails can often have real consequences for people who give scammers their information, including identity theft.
What should I do now?
We recommend that you ignore the content of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) email and delete it from your Inbox. If you have downloaded any attachments or clicked on any links from this email, or if you suspect that your computer might be infected with malware, you can follow the below steps to scan your device for malware with Malwarebytes and remove it for free.
Check if you’re device is infected with malware
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) phishing emails may contain malware within the attachments or links that appear in the body of the email. By interacting with the malware — for example, opening or downloading an attachment that contains a malicious payload — the user may unknowingly infect their device or network, enabling attackers to gain access to protected applications and data.
To check your computer or phone for Trojans, browser hijackers, or other malware and remove them for free, you run a scan with Malwarebytes Free.
Malwarebytes can run on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Depending on which operating system is installed on the device you’re trying to run a Malwarebytes scan, please click on the tab below and follow the displayed steps.
Malwarebytes For WindowsMalwarebytes For MacMalwarebytes For Android
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Windows to remove malware
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Download Malwarebytes for Windows
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Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
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In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
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Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
Your computer should now be free of trojans, adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Mac to remove malware
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Download Malwarebytes for Mac.
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When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
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Select “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer”.
The Malwarebytes Welcome screen will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
Click on “Scan”.
To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes for Mac will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Quarantine”.
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Restart computer.
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Your Mac should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious program on your computer, you might want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your computer, please ask for help in our Mac Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Scan your phone with Malwarebytes for Android to remove malware
Malwarebytes for Android automatically detects and removes dangerous threats like malware and ransomware so you don’t have to worry about your most-used device being compromised. Aggressive detection of adware and potentially unwanted programs keeps your Android phone or tablet running smooth.
Download Malwarebytes for Android.
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In the Google Play Store, tap “Install” to install Malwarebytes for Android on your device.
When the installation process has finished, tap “Open” to begin using Malwarebytes for Android. You can also open Malwarebytes by tapping on its icon in your phone menu or home screen.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process
When Malwarebytes will open, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through a series of permissions and other setup options. This is the first of two screens that explain the difference between the Premium and Free versions. Swipe this screen to continue. Tap on “Got it” to proceed to the next step. Malwarebytes for Android will now ask for a set of permissions that are required to scan your device and protect it from malware. Tap on “Give permission” to continue. Tap on “Allow” to permit Malwarebytes to access the files on your phone.
Update database and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Android
You will now be prompted to update the Malwarebytes database and run a full system scan.
Click on “Update database” to update the Malwarebytes for Android definitions to the latest version, then click on “Run full scan” to perform a system scan.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your phone for adware and other malicious apps. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Remove Selected”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes for Android has detected. To remove the malicious apps that Malwarebytes has found, tap on the “Remove Selected” button.
Restart your phone.
Malwarebytes for Android will now remove all the malicious apps that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your device.
Your phone should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious app on your phone, you may want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your phone after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Restore your phone to factory settings by going to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset.
Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:
Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.
It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.
Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.
Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.
Be careful when installing programs and apps.
Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."
Install an ad blocker.
Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.
Be careful what you download.
A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.
Be alert for people trying to trick you.
Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.
Back up your data.
Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.
Choose strong passwords.
Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.
Be careful where you click.
Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.
Don't use pirated software.
Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.
To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.
Meet Stelian Pilici
Stelian leverages over a decade of cybersecurity expertise to lead malware analysis and removal, uncover scams, and educate people. His experience provides insightful analysis and valuable perspective.
