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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.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Lewis Zachary." (may be fake)
Reply-To: <lewiszachary@mbensonassociates.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 05:25:44 -0700
Subject: Let’s partner together. /

From: Lewis Zachary.
Date: October 24, 2023.
Email: lewiszachary@mbensonassociates.com

Dear Sir,

Hello, let this not come to a surprise to you, I got your contact through our business chamber of commerce, my name is Lewis Zachary, I am personal assistance to Dr. Ahmed Al Wahid a Lebanese National who was a contractor in Benin Republic of West Africa and who died in plane crash at Cotonou in Benin Republic West Africa with his family in Dec. 2003.

Visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3348109.stm

Dr. Ahmed Al Wahid, before his death had a contract with the Government of Republic of Benin West Africa in collaboration with some government officials of the then administrators the Republic of Benin, however the contract was over inflated to the sum of US$70 Million, however due to his death and with no next of kin, I as the personal assistance that holds the estate of late Dr. Ahmed Al Wahid it has taken 20 years to process this payment due to the legal battles and all government protocols involved, however, I am happy to tell you that the funds is now with a financial institution on trust account held on behalf of Dr. Ahmed Al Wahid as the trustee. Since there is no heir or next of kin, I wrote to financial institution concerning the death of Dr. Ahmed Al Wahid for the claim and the release of the funds. The bank accepted to release the money unless I could provide another trustee /partner to this contract payment.

All my efforts to locate any of these government officials who were his partners in this contract payment proved abortive, this made me believe that they might have all died in the same plane crash en-route Beirut, Lebanon for a meeting. I, therefore wish to seek for your consent to present you as a trustee and partner of the late Dr. Ahmed Al Wahid. If this offer is accepted to you, I will then process the necessary documentations which will give you the right to the contract payments and then you will assume the beneficiary of the payment, which will then be processed and transferred to your nominated account details as the new trustee.
I propose for your partnership in this venture 30% of the funds shall be your compensation, the 70% for me and others involved, this 70% share will be with you as an investment for 12 months which you shall then return to us.

Thank you for your understanding I expect your immediate reply through my email: lewiszachary@mbensonassociates.com

Best regard,

Lewis Zachary.

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