419 Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam (2006-01)

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

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.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

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.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "claims office" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "million pounds" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "keep this confidential" (scammers urge victims to keep the transaction secret because they don't want anyone to point out to them that it is a scam)
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.
- +447045766179 (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.
- bmwsecuritydept09@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
- frank jackson bmw claiming security agency. email: bmwsecuritydept09@gmail.com bmwsecuritydept07@gmail.com phone: +447045766179 best (Gmail; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: BMW FR V CAR LOTTERY <chrisngoka080@gmail.com>
Reply-To: bmwsecuritydept09@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 01:30:01 -0800 (PST)
Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?LUCKY_EMAIL=28YOU_HAVE_WON_THE_BMW_CAR_LOTTERY_PRIZE_OF_?=
=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A31=2C000=2C000=2E00_POUNDS=29?=

BMW CAR LOTTERY

ELLESFIELD
AVENUE
BRACKNELL RG12 8TA,
UNITED KINGDOM.

AWARD
NOTIFICATION

BMW CAR FR V 2009

CONGRATULATIONS!

We are pleased to inform you
of the release of the long awaited results of the Year 2009 BMW CAR INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM.You
were entered as dependent client with Reference Serial Number: K44CBL475 and
Batch number:HDC-451-5754-14BL.Your email address attached to the Ticket Number:
01225498775436 that drew the Lucky Winning Numbers
(1-5-6-8-7-4-5-2) which consequently won the Lottery in the 2nd category, in
four parts.

You have been approved for a payment of £1,000 000.00 ( One Million Great British Pounds Sterling ) in
cash credited to file Reference Number: BMW/4155247787001-A.This is from a total cash prize
of Fifty Million Pounds shared among all our International Winners in all
categories.

Congratulations!!!
All participants were selected through
a computer ballot system drawn from 50,000 (Fifty thousand) names of email users
around the world, as part of our international promotion program. Due to mixed
up of some names and addresses, we ask that you keep this award personal, till
your claims has been processed and your funds remitted to you. This is a part of
our security measures to avoid double claiming or
unwarranted participants or imposter's, taking advantage of the situation.You
are to contact your/our-accredited agent for your claim now.

NOTE: YOU
ARE ADVISED TO KEEP THIS CONFIDENTIAL FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO PREVENT
DRAGGING AND DOUBLE CLAIMING OF YOUR PRIZE FOR SECURITY REASONS.

NOTE:
all correspondence must be sent to our claims officer, Rev Jackson, fill the
below information and send to Rev Jackson for the immediate claims of your
awarded prize:

1) Your full name:

2) Your full address:

3)
Sex:

4) Age:

5) Occupation:

6) Telephone / mobile
number:

7) Serial Number:

8) Batch number:

9)
Country:

10) Nationality:

Rev Frank Jackson
BMW
CLAIMING SECURITY AGENCY.
Email: bmwsecuritydept09@gmail.com
bmwsecuritydept07@gmail.com
Phone:
+447045766179

Best Regards,
Klaus Kibsgaard,
C.E.O BMW AWARD
OFFICE.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam