419 scam: "BMW GROUP" <client@selena.net.ua> 2010 Prize Winner

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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 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:
- "00,000.00" (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)
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 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.
- bmwclaims@list.ru (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "BMW GROUP" <client@selena.net.ua>
Reply-To: bmwclaims@list.ru
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 20:56:54 +0300
Subject: 2010 Prize Winner

THE INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS
PROMOTION DEPARTMENT OF
BMW Financial Services
Ibérica, E.F.C., S.A.
Avda. de Burgos, 118
28050 Madrid
Spain.

Reference Number: BMW: 6451256022/43

CONGRATULATION!!! YOU ARE A WINNER.

The Board of Directors, members of staff and the International Awareness
Promotion Department of the BMW Automobile Company, wishes to congratulate
you on your success as the STAR PRIZE WINNER in this years' BMW Automobile
International Awareness Promotion (IAP) held today in MADRID, SPAIN.
This makes you the proud owner of a brand new BMW 7 Series, 760i G-Power car
and a cash prize of €900,000.00 (Nine Hundred Thousand Euros).
The car comes with a special BMW Insurance Cover for one whole year,
that is, till the next promotion in 2011. It also comes with a one year
warranty and FREE repairs at any BMW AUTOMOBILE depot or service station
worldwide.

YEAR: 2010, MODEL: 760i G-Power

The selection process was carried out through random selection in our
Computerized Email Selection System (C.E.S.S.) from a database of over a
million email addresses from the world wide web. Each email address was
attached to a ticket number and your email address with ticket number:
7987600545182 and serial number: BMWP/776543450906 was randomly
selected as the star prize winner amongst other consolation prize winners.

For you to collect your prizes, kindly fill the verification form below and
forward this winning notification to the Claims Manager, SIR. JOSE GOMEZ of
our claims department through email, stating your receipt of this
notification. He has been mandated to offer you assistance and facilitate the
urgent delivery of your prizes.

Claims Manager:
SIR. JOSE GOMEZ
BMW Claims Department
EMAIL: bmwclaims@list.ru

VERIFICATION FORM:
* FULL NAME:
* AGE:
* SEX:
* ADDRESS:
* ZIP/POSTAL CODE:
* STATE/PROVINCE:
* COUNTRY:
* PHONE:
* OCCUPATION/POSITION:
* COMPANY:
* EMAIL ADDRESS:
* TICKET NUMBER:
* SERIAL NUMBER:

Congratulations once more, and keep trusting BMW Automobile for top quality
automobiles.

ENG. ZAKAZ NICKY
DIRECTOR OF PROMOTIONS,
INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS PROMOTIONS,
BMW AUTOMOBILE.
MADRID, SPAIN.

THE BMW INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS PROMOTION
COPYRIGHT ©2010. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam