419 scam: "BMW LOTTERY DEPARTMENT"<ATM43@earthlink.net> prize of a 2014 BMW Hybrid Car, a Check of $500,000.00 USD

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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:
- "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)
- "united state of america" (this email uses bad English)
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.
- bmwautomobile77@yahoo.com (Yahoo; can be used from anywhere worldwide)

Fraud email example:

From: "BMW LOTTERY DEPARTMENT" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <bmwautomobile77@yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 20:30:24 -0600
Subject: prize of a 2014 BMW Hybrid Car, a Check of $500,000.00 USD

BMW LOTTERY DEPARTMENT
5070 WILSHIRE BLVD
LOS ANGELES. CA 90036
NEIGHORHOOD: MID WILSHIRE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
EMAIL: bmwautomobile77@yahoo.com

Dear BMW Winner,

This is to inform you that you have been selected for a
prize of a 2014 BMW Hybrid Car, a Check of $500,000.00 USD
and an Apple laptop from the international balloting
programs held on the 1st section of the 2014 annual award
promo in the UNITED STATE OF AMERICA.

The selection process was carried out through a random
computerized email selection system (ESS) from a database of
over 250,000 email addresses drawn from all the continents
of the world, which your email address was selected.

The BMW Lottery is approved by the British Gaming Board and
also Licensed by the International Association of Gaming
Regulators (IAGR). To begin the processing of your

prize claim, You are to contact our fiduciary claim
department for more information as regards to the procedures
on the claim of your prize.

Name: Mrs. Joyce Alberson
Email: bmwautomobile77@yahoo.com

Contact him by providing him with your secret pin code
Number BMW:2541256004/25. You are also advised to provide
him with the under listed information as soon as possible:

1. Name In Full :
2. Residential Address :
3. Nationality :
4. Age :
5. Occupation :
6. Direct Phone :
7. Present Country :
8. Email address :
9. pin code Number BMW:2541256004/25

Mr. Roy E. Peterson

THE DIRECTOR PROMOTIONS
BMW LOTTERY DEPARTMENT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam