12 replies to this topic

[andrew01]

I got this email from some guy. What do you think? I thought it was pretty funny:

> Call: + 00 233 244 778766
>
> Attn: The Ceo/Md,
>
> We want to transfer to overseas ($26,000.000.00 USD) Twenty six
> million United States Dollars) from a Bank in Accra Ghana, I want to
> ask you to quietly look for a reliable and honest person who will be
> capable and fit to provide either an existing bank account or to set
> up a new Bank a/c immediately to Receive this fund, even an empty a/c
> can serve to receive this money, as long As you will remain honest to
> me till the end for this important business trusting in you and
> believing in God that you will never let me down either now or in
> future.
>
> I am Dr. Oddy Peterson, the Auditor General of a bank in Africa,
> during the Course of our auditing I discovered a floating fund in an
> account opened in the Bank in 1995 and since 1998 nobody has operated
> on this account again, after going through some old files in the
> records I discovered that the owner of the Account died without a next
> of kin who will be beneficiary of this said fund. The owner of this
> account is Mr. Allen P.Seaman, a foreigner, and a executive Director
> of Ghana gold mine and he died in a plain crash, since 1998. And no
> other person knows about this account or any thing concerning it, the
> account has no other beneficiary.
>
> We will start the first transfer with six million [$6,000.000] upon
> successful Transaction without any disappoint from your side, we shall
> re-apply for the Payment of the remaining rest amount to your account.
> However, we will sign a Binding agreement, to bind us together I got
> your contact address from my Secretary who operates computer, I am
> revealing this to you with believe in God that you will never let me
> down in this business. With my influence and the position of the bank
> official we can transfer this money to any foreigner's Reliable
> account which you can provide with assurance that this money will be
> Intact pending our physical arrival in your country for sharing. At
> the conclusion of this business, you will be given 25% of the total
> amount, 70% Will be for me, while 5% will be for expenses both parties
> might have incurred During the process of transferring.
>
> Kindly contact me through my secured alternative email
> -droddy456peterson@caramail.com
>
> Looking forward to hear from you soon.
>
> Yours Sincerely,
> Dr. Oddy Peterson

[Chessler]

Either this guy is serious or this is the worst Spam Mail i've ever seen!

[cxwq]

Minor variant on one of the most common scams on the 'net. I started getting that one about 6 years ago.

[Chessler]

That means someone is sending this Mail since 1998?

[cxwq]

It's had dozens, if not hundreds, of variants. It actually pre-dates common use of email and used to be mailed or faxed.

Here's a version collected on the net in 2000 - you can see the obvious similarities.

REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

FIRST, I MUST SOLICIT YOUR STRICTEST CONFIDENCE IN THIS TRANSACTION. THIS IS BY VIRTUE OF ITS NATURE AS BEING UTTERLY CONFIDENTIAL AND 'TOP SECRET'. I AM SURE AND HAVE CONFIDENCE OF YOUR ABILITY AND RELIABILITY TO PROSECUTE A TRANSACTION OF THIS GREAT MAGNITUDE INVOLVING A PENDING TRANSACTION REQUIRING MAXIIMUM CONFIDENCE.

WE ARE TOP OFFICIAL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN IMPORATION OF GOODS INTO OUR COUNTRY WITH FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY TRAPPED IN NIGERIA. IN ORDER TO COMMENCE THIS BUSINESS WE SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ENABLE US TRANSFER INTO YOUR ACCOUNT THE SAID TRAPPED FUNDS.

THE SOURCE OF THIS FUND IS AS FOLLOWS; DURING THE LAST MILITARY REGIME HERE IN NIGERIA, THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SET UP COMPANIES AND AWARDED THEMSELVES CONTRACTS WHICH WERE GROSSLY OVER-INVOICED IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES. THE PRESENT CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT SET UP A CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF INFLATED CONTRACT FUNDS WHICH ARE PRESENTLY FLOATING IN THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA READY FOR PAYMENT.

HOWEVER, BY VIRTUE OF OUR POSITION AS CIVIL SERVANTS AND MEMBERS OF THIS PANEL, WE CANNOT ACQUIRE THIS MONEY IN OUR NAMES. I HAVE THEREFORE, BEEN DELEGATED AS A MATTER OF TRUST BY MY COLLEAGUES OF THE PANEL TO LOOK FOR AN OVERSEAS PARTNER INTO WHOSE ACCOUNT WE WOULD TRANSFER THE SUM OF US$21,320,000.00(TWENTY ONE MILLION, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS). HENCE WE ARE WRITING YOU THIS LETTER. WE HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE MONEY THUS; 1. 20% FOR THE ACCOUNT OWNER 2. 70% FOR US (THE OFFICIALS) 3. 10% TO BE USED IN SETTLING TAXATION AND ALL LOCAL AND FOREIGN EXPENSES. IT IS FROM THE 70% THAT WE WISH TO COMMENCE THE IMPORTATION BUSINESS.

PLEASE,NOTE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% SAFE AND WE HOPE TO COMMENCE THE TRANSFER LATEST SEVEN (7) BANKING DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE RECEIPT OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIOM BY TEL/FAX; 234-1-7740449, YOUR COMPANY'S SIGNED, AND STAMPED LETTERHEAD PAPER THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL ENABLE US WRITE LETTERS OF CLAIM AND JOB DESCRIPTION RESPECTIVELY. THIS WAY WE WILL USE YOUR COMPANY'S NAME TO APPLY FOR PAYMENT AND RE-AWARD THE CONTRACT IN YOUR COMPANY'S NAME.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS BUSINESS WITH YOU AND SOLICIT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS TRANSATION. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER USING THE ABOVE TEL/FAX NUMBERS. I WILL SEND YOU DETAILED INFORMATION OF THIS PENDING PROJECT WHEN I HAVE HEARD FROM YOU.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR CLEMENT OKON

NOTE; PLEASE QUOTE THIS REFERENCE NUMBER (VE/S/09/99) IN ALL YOUR RESPONSES.

[Chessler]

By the way, what is the difference between Spam and Scam?

[ompa]

Spam:


Scam:


Spam: Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.

Scam:A fraudulent business scheme; a swindle.

(From dictionary.com)

In short, spam is just pointless mail sent out to people, in hopes that they'll click it. Scams are moneymaking schemes that aim to take peoples' money through lies and other forms of deceit.

~ompa

Edited by ompa, 31 August 2004 - 01:47 PM.

[Chessler]

Thanks Ompa.

[moosenukem]

My dad got ione like this from a guy, something like David. But his goal was to get as much money out of him as he could so he talked and emailed and all that stuff, and ened up getting around 13.00 out of the guys. Funny stuff, what really kills them is to wait for a while to respond, after they think your going for there scam. Tell them that you aer going on vacation and talk to him, you can really have a fun time wiht these guys. Also you can tell them thta you can come over there, but wait for awhile, then respond to 'em and tell 'em that you rplane crashed or something.

Moose

[IronRhino]

The Nigerian Scam, very common: http://www.snopes.co...nfo/nigeria.htm

[Murdock]

I've gotten them here and there for a few years. I had fun with the last one I got... I sent them something about I needed to go to the bank to get funds etc then they replied saying "waiting your return". So I emailed back saying I had fallen off of my bike and needed surgery so they would need to wait a while for the money. Then I never heard back from them

[Lemmypoo]

I went to go see an African prince once... he won't call me anymore, I sit by the phone waiting for him to call back. I think he said it was too "weird" for him-- we're talking about the same kind of prince, right?

I wonder if anybody has actually gotten conned into this.

I shouldn't be up this late, perhaps I should stop watching Street Fighter the Movie and go to bed. God this movie is terrible. Almost as bad as Zardoz *Shudder*.

Edited by Lemmypoo, 11 September 2004 - 03:23 AM.

[JSkater]

"Pardon me, but I am Nigerian Royalty, and I need you to send me money! Please ignore the fact that I cannot spell Nigerian... Or Royalty."

Gotta love RvB.