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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• 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:
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
• 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.
  • +447092882173 (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.
  • mail_bmwclaimsdept@yahoo.co.uk (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: bmw_onlinepromo2007x4@comcast.net
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007 11:39:36 +0000
Subject: UPDATE TO BMW PROMOTION WINNERS

BMW PROMOTION DEPARTMENT
22 Garden Close,PE9 2YP, London
Dear Winner

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of £450,000.00 (British Pounds) from International programs held on the 25th June 2007 in London Uk.

The selection process was carried out through random selection in ourcomputerized email selection system (ess) from a database of over 250,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents of the world which you were selected.The BMW Lottery is approved by the British Gaming Board.
To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact our fiduaciary claims department :

Kelvin Richards
Email:mail_bmwclaimsdept@yahoo.co.uk
Fax: +44 709288 2173
Tel: +44 701113 2973
+44 702403 2741
Contact him with the following details:
NAME:
WINNING EMAIL ADDRESS:
Reference Number:BMW/2551256003/23
Secret Pin Code:x7pwyz2007

You are required to choose an option i.e the way you want your winnings to be given to you, from the option given to you below;

1,Diplomatic Courier Delivery
2,Swift Bank Transfer

Mr. Chris Blee
Online co-ordinator.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam