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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:

Fraud email example:

From: "Gray Brian Towner" <info@azmont.com>
Reply-To: graybtownernatbank@gmail.com
Date: 28 Feb 2020 20:34:47 +0300
Subject: PRIVATE AND IMPERATIVE.

Attn: Sir/ Madam


My names are Mr. Gray B. Towner and I'm assistant branch manager
of Natwest Bank Lodon

I write you in connection to a transaction that would be
beneficial to you and me. As an assistant Branch Manager of the
bank, it is within my purview to send in yearly financial report
to the Bank Headquarters IN Dublin at the end of each business
year.

In the course of reviewing the year 2014 report, I discovered
that my branch has Thirty two Million, Great British Pounds
sterling in slush fund. It may interest you to note that a slush
fund, colloquially, is an auxiliary monetary account or a reserve
fund. However, in the context of corrupt dealings, such as those
by governments or large corporations, a slush fund can have part
particular connotations of secrecy in regard to the use of this
money and the means by which the funds were acquired.

Six years after, my head office is oblivious of it and as it
were, has no way of knowing as I understand that the original
depositor died six years ago or thereabout and till date no one
has come forward to claim the fund. The plan is to present you as
the brother or Uncle of the deceased Estate.

I have just placed this funds in what we call Nostro Vostro
account with no beneficiary. As a management staff of this bank ,
I cannot be directly connected to this money, so my aim of
contacting you is to assist me receive this money in your bank
account and get 50% of the total funds as remuneration for your
involvement. There is practically no risk involved, the
transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
protects us from any breach of the law as it will strictly be a
bank-to-bank transfer after the re-certification of the fund as
the fallout of a bequest/donation bequeathed to you or your
organization.

All we need to do is to secure the pertinent structures in place
to authenticate your claim as the Brother or uncle of the
deceased’s Estate and consequently the beneficiary of the fund.
Your prompt response would be appreciated.

Thanking you in advance for your anticipated assistance and
cooperation.
Send reply to my private email: graybtownernatbank@gmail.com

Your swift response will facilitate the claims process.

Best Regards
Gray B. Towner
Natwest Bank London.
Private email: graybtownernatbank@gmail.com

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