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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
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• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
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• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
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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.

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:

• An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
  • "i have a new email address!" (this SPAM email was sent to thousands of people)
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +447031914740 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
  • +448701355487 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
• This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
  • bmwonlinesweepstake@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: BMW GROUP PROMOTION <bmwonlinesweepstake@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:44:19 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: NOTIFICATION!


I have a new email address!You can now email me at: bmwonlinesweepstake@yahoo.com

(Customer Services)

Ref: BMW/9420X2/68

Batch: 074/06/MY369

Fax: +448701355487

Tel:+447031914740

WINNING NOTIFICATION:


We happily announce to you the draw of the BMW Group online Sweepstakes International program held on saturday Jan 7th 2006.


Your e-mail address attached to ticket number:25445800673189 with Serial number 3678/03 drew the lucky numbers: 02-05-13-30-39-49(bonus no.03),

which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category i.e match 5 plus bonus.


You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of L280,152 (Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand One Hundred and Fifty Two pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTV/8022118209/06.


This is from a total cash prize of L2,521,368 shared amongst the first Nine (9) lucky winners in this category i.e Match 5 plus bonus.


All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place Anually.


Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon.


In view of this,you have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of L280,152 (Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand One Hundred and Fifty Two pounds sterling).This sum will be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.


Our European agents will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact them.


For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit.


This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.Please be warned.


To file for your claims, please contact our Claim agent:


Mrs Catherine Pitcher.

Email: claimsagent_bmwsweepstake@o2.pl

For further clarification/verification of your claims, Please call on any of our official numbers as stated in notification e-mail.


Goodluck from me and members of staff of the BMW Group.

Yours faithfully,

Frank Hood.

Online coordinator for the BMW Group online Sweepstakes International program

- BMW GROUP PROMOTION

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam