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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:

• The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
  • "the bmw automobile company" (no such lottery exists)
• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "claims agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
• 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.
  • +447045722314 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: HMJ SNIJDERS <hmjsnijders@casema.nl>
Reply-To: tommybriggbmw@live.com
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:18:27 -0800
Subject: Reference Number:2551256003/23

=3CP=3ETHE BMW AUTOMOBILE COMPANY=2E=3CBR=3E22 Garden Close=2C Stamford=2C= =3CBR=3ELincs=2C PE9 2YP=2C London=3CBR=3EUnited Kingdom=2E =3CBR=3ERefe= rence Number=3A2551256003/23=3C/P=3E =3CP=3EDear Winner=2C=3C/P=3E =3CP=3EYour=26nbsp=3B Reference Number=3A2551256003/23 drew to the lucky= number=3A 29 =3CBR=3ECongratulations=2C you have just won a brand new B= MW 5 Series=2C M Sport =3CBR=3ESaloon car and a cash prize of =A3500=2C0= 00=2E00 in the satellite =3CBR=3Esoftware email lottery=2E On line Sweep= stakes International program held =3CBR=3Eon 21st of Feb 2008=26nbsp=3B = conducted by BMW LOTTERY BOARD in which =3CBR=3Eyour e-mail addresses wa= s pick randomly by software powered by the =3CBR=3EInternet=2E=3C/P=3E =3CP=3ECONTACT OUR CLAIMS AGENT=3AMR=2ETOMMY BRIGG=3CBR=3ETEL=3A=26nbsp=3B= +447045722314=3CBR=3EEmail=3A=26nbsp=3B =3CA href=3D=22mailto=3Atommybr= iggbmw=40live=2Ecom=22=3Etommybriggbmw=40live=2Ecom=3C/A=3E=3C/P=3E =3CP=3EForward the following details to enable us clear your file for =3C= BR=3Eimmediate payment and delivery of your winnings=3A=3C/P=3E =3CP=3E1=2EFull Names=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E= =3CBR=3E2=2EAddress=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=3CBR=3E3=2EAge=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=3CBR=3E4=2ESex=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=3CBR=3E5=2EOccupation=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=3CBR=3E6=2EPhone numbers=3A=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=3CBR=3E7=2EFax number=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=3CBR=3E8=2ECountry=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=3CBR=3E9=2EWon Before=3A=2E=2E=2E=2E= =2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=2E=3C/P=3E =3CP=3EYours faithfully=2C=3CBR=3EMr Tommy Brigg=2E=3C/P=3E

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam