419 scam: "BMW AUTOMOBILE COMPANY" <bmwwatchworld@chater.net> OFFER FROM THE BMW AUTOMOBILE COMPANY HEAD OFFICE

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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:

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:
- "here in london united kingdom" (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "barrister" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
- "bmwclaimsdpt5@live.com" (this email address has been used in a known 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!
Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.
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.
- +447011120938 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)

Fraud email example:

From: "BMW AUTOMOBILE COMPANY" <bmwwatchworld@chater.net>
Reply-To: bmwclaimsdpt5@live.com
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:42:47 -0500
Subject: OFFER FROM THE BMW AUTOMOBILE COMPANY HEAD OFFICE

PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT,
BMW Automobiles House,22 Garden Close, Edmonton
Lincs,PE9 2YP, London, United Kingdom.

Attention:

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of 850,000.00
pounds(Eight hundred and fifty thousand pounds) from the BMW e-LOTTERY BONANZA
International programs held recently, here in London United Kingdom.
The selection process was carried out through random selection in our computerized
email selection system(ess) from a database of over 250,000 email addresses drawn from
all the continents of the world.

This promotional lottery is the 3rd of its kind and we intend to sensitize the
public. To begin the processing of your prize you are to contact our fiduciary claims
department for more information as regards procedures to
claim your prize.
=================================================
PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT,7 DOCK WAY, SEFTON
BUSINESS PARK LONDON, T40 4RT, UNITED KINGDOM.
Email: bmwclaimsdpt5@live.com
Barrister Ken Adams
Phone: +447011120938
+447024063592

=================================================
Contact him by providing him with your secret pin code X7PYWM2007 and your Reference
Number BMW:2551256003/23.You are also advised to provide
him with the under listed information's as soon as possible:

1.Name in full:-------
2.Address:-------
3.Nationality:-----
4.Age:-------
5.Occupation:------------
6.Telephone:-------------
Number:------------------
7.Present Country:----
8.Sex:----
9.Marital status:-
10.Email address: --
Congratulations once again from all our staff and thank you for being part
of our promotional program.

EUGENE KLINE,
THE DIRECTOR PROMOTIONS
BMW PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT,
UNITED KINGDOM.
=================================================

NOTE: You may also receive similar e-mails from people portraying to be other
Organizations or Yahoo Microsoft Inc. This is solely to collect your personal
information from you and lay claim over your winning. In event that you receive any e-
mail similar to the notification letter that was sent to you, kindly delete it from
your mail box and give no further correspondence to such person or body. BMW shall not
be held responsible
for any loss of fund arising from the above mentioned. Winners are also advised to keep
their winning details/information from the public to avoid fraudulent claim (IMPORTANT).

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam