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Fighting the Nigerian Money Scam
An anonymous reader writes "One of the most notorious spams, the Nigerian Money Scam, or 419, has reared its head again with the recent arrest of a California woman who embezzled $2.1 million from her law firm. However, anti-spammer Brad Christensen has apparently been having some success scamming the scammers. This exhibit contains some of his more successful exchanges. It seems he even managed to get some of the Nigerians to fly around the world to meet him. All in all, Bravo!"
Pfbbt, doesn't she know to hold out for the $25 million transfer like everyone else? I mean sheesh, she could have at least chosen the largest sum of money from the dozens of spam messages filling her box that day. Also, I bet she didn't even make all the payments for the transfer fees, that's why she didn't get it. ...man, some people...
if you fall for the nigerian money scam you are too stupid to have money.
The 'detroit free press' logo at the top of the page was rather a giveaway too.
creation science book
I think the best solution would be to let the Open Source developer community improve the efficiency of the country, thereby reducing poverty, corruption, and crime.
By making Nigeria Open Source can we unleash the vast potential that this oil-producing country has. The enormous experience of the hardenened Open Source developers would go a long way to introduce the necessary stability in this west-African continent.
Wearing pants should always be optional.
One of the better "scamming the scammers" exchanges is documented here.
He plays along with the scammer, and when asked for a scan of his passport, he photoshops together a passport belonging to James Tiberius Kirk, complete with a picture of William Shatner in a Starfleet uniform. I can imagine someone trying to use that to get across the border....
Dear Ordinary Civil Servants,
.JAMES BOLA [mailto:james_b13@arabia.com]
Well first off, let me just say that you had me at hello so to speak.
I am a total sucker for those that write in all caps, and then you really sold
me with the fact that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. After all, how
many times do those come along? I'd say maybe only 5 or 6 times a year.
You are incredibly generous to only need twnety one million five hundred thousand
dollars. But, unfortunately I don't have that much money. I do have seventeen
dollars and fifty-six cents. I really want you to have all of that. I hope you
can overlook the fact that I'm several million short of your goal, but the key
is that I try hard and I'm an excellent wind surfer.
My company doesn't have an address as of yet, but we are really trying. If you
would be willing to send me $500, then I can register the company name and also
get a PO BOX for a year. That way I can have an address and then we can get this
ball of wax rolling. In a similar vein, I don't have a bank account. I don't trust
them. Quite frankly, between you and me, there are a lot of scammers out there
that will just try to take your money - and I don't think either of us want
that - we need it so that we can get RICH! Right?
Lastly, I notice that you are a doctor. Can I ask you a question. I know that
this started as a financial discussion, but I have a really painful burning
rash "down there" if you know what I mean. Do you have any experience with
this? Can you recommend anything I can do to make it go away?
Please keep in mind that I only have just over seventeen dollars, and I want
to give all of that to you so that I can be really really rich as soon as
possible. So the cure for my intense burning pain needs to be free. And easy,
I'm kind of lazy - hey, at least I'm honest right?
So anyway, why don't you talk to your people, and I'll... Well, I'll just
talk to myself and maybe do a little rubbing "down there" and I look forward
to anything you can offer me - you know, on the $500 deal. I really hope you
can come through with it - if not, I'm not sure what else to do - I guess I
might have to get a job. Could you give me a job? Not like anything sexual -
just one where you pay me a lot to do very little... And maybe some golf. I
like golf - do you like golf? Maybe someday you and I can play golf together.
We could start out doing miniature golf - your treat, and then maybe once I'm
really really rich with your help, I can pay for my own regular golf fees.
I can't want to hear back from you - please act fast!
Your's,
Johannes Kepler
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DR
> Sent: Monday, August 12, 2002 10:31 PM
> To: *
> Subject:
>
>
> FROM: DR. JAMES BOLA
> TEL:234-1-4700390
> FAX:234-9-2721548
> LAGOS - NIGERIA.
>
>
> ATTN: PRESIDENT / CEO.
>
> STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL RE: TRANSFER OF
> US$21.5 MILLION(TWENTY ONE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US
> DOLLARS ONLY).
>
> I KNOW THIS EMAIL WILL REACH YOU AS A SURPRISE, BUT NEED NOT
> TO WORRY AS WE ARE USING THE ONLY SECURED AND CONFIDENTIAL
> MEDIUM AVAILABLE TO SEEK FOR FOREIGN ASSISTANCE/PARTNERSHIP
> IN A BUSINESS TRANSACTION WHICH IS OF MUTUAL BENEFIT.
>
> I AM A MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA CONTRACT
> AWARD AND MONITORING COMMITTEE IN THE NIGERIA NATIONAL
> PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) SOMETIME AGO; MY COMMITTEE
> AWARDED A CONTRACT TO A FOREIGN FIRM IN NNPC.THIS CONTRACT
> WAS OVER INVOICED TO THE TUNE OF US$21.5M. U.S.DOLLARS. THIS
> WAS DONE DELIBERATELY THE OVER- INVOICING WAS A DEAL BY MY
> COMMITTEE TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT. WE NOW WANT TO
> TRANSFER THIS MONEY, WHICH IS IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT WITH NNPC
> INTO ANY OVERSEAS ACCOUNT,WHICH WE EXPECT YOU TO PROVIDE FOR US.
> SHARE:
> FOR PROVIDING THE ACCOUNT WHERE WE SHALL REMIT THE MONEY
> INTO, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 30% OF THE MONEY.60% WILL BE
> FOR ME AND MY PARTNERS WHILE 10% HAS BEEN MAPPED OUT FROM THE
> TOTAL SUM TO COVER ANY EXPENSES THAT MAY BE INCURRED BY US
> DURING THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSFER, BOTH LOCALLY AND
> INTERNATIONAL EXPENSES.IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT A
> SIMILAR TRANSACTION WAS CARRIED OUT WITH ONE MR.PATRICE
> MILLER,PRESIDENT OF CRANE INTERNATIONAL TRADING CORP,OF 153
> EAST 57 ST.,28 FLOOR,NY10022,TEL:(212)-308-7788 AND
> TELEX:6731689.THE DEAL WAS CONCLUDED AND ALL COVERING
> DOCUMENT WERE FORWARDED TO MR.MILLER TO AUTHETICATE THE
> CLAIM.ONCE THE FUNDS WERE TRANSFERRED,MR. MILLER PRESENTED
> HIS BANK WITH ALL THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND REMITTED THE WHOLE
> FUNDS TO ANOTHER BANK ACCOUNT AND DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY. MY
> COLLEAGUES WERE SHATTERED,AS SUCH OPPORTUNITIES DO NOT COME
> ALL THE TIME.TO COMMERCE THIS DEAL THEREFORE, I WOULD REQUIRE
> THE FOLLOWING:
>
> 1. YOUR COMPANY'S NAME, ADDRESS, TEL & FAX NUMBERS.
>
> 2. YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND ADDRESS WHERE THE MONEY WILL
> BE REMITTED.
>
> THE ABOVE INFORMATION WOULD BE USED TO MAKE FORMAL
> APPLICATIONS AS A MATTER OF PROCEDURE FOR THE RELEASE OF THE
> MONEY AND ONWARD TRANSFER TO YOUR ACCOUNT. IT DOES NOT MATTER
> WHETHER OR NOT YOUR COMPANY DOES CONTRACT PROJECTS OF THIS
> NATURE DESCRIBED HERE. THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT YOUR COMPANY
> WON THE MAJOR CONTRACT AND SUBCONTRACTED IT OUT TO OTHER
> COMPANIES. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, BIG TRADING COMPANIES OR
> FIRMS OF UNRELATED FIELDS WIN MAJOR CONTRACTS AND
> SUBCONTRACTS TO MORE SPECIALIZED FIRMS FOR EXECUTION OF SUCH
> CONTRACTS.
>
> WE HAVE STRONG RELIABLE CONNECTIONS AND CONTACTS AT THE
> CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF
> FINANCE AND WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT ALL THE MONEY WILL BE
> RELEASED AND TRANSFERRED IF WE GET THE NECESSARY FOREIGN
> PARTNER TO ASSIST US IN THIS DEAL. THEREFORE, WHEN THE
> BUSINESS IS SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED WE SHALL THROUGH OUR SAME
> CONNECTIONS WITHDRAW ALL DOCUMENTS USED FROM ALL THE
> CONCERNED GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES FOR 100% SECURITY.
>
> WE ARE ORDINARY CIVIL SERVANTS AND WE WILL NOT WANT TO MISS
> THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO GET RICH. WE WANT THIS
> MONEY TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE OVERSEAS ACCOUNTS FOR US,
> BEFORE THE PRESENT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT STARTS AUDITING ALL
> FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWNED MINISTRIES. PLEASE CONTACT
> IMMEDIATELY THROUGH MY TEL / FAX NUMBER WHETHER OR NOT YOU
> ARE INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL. IF YOU ARE NOT, IT WILL ENABLE
> ME SCOUT FOR ANOTHER FOREIGN PARTNER TO CARRY OUT THIS DEAL.
> BUT WHERE YOU ARE INTERESTED, SEND THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
> AFOREMENTIONED HEREIN THROUGH MY ABOVE FAX NUMBER AS TIME IS
> OF THE ESSENCE IN THIS BUSINESS. I WAIT IN ANTICIPATION OF
> YOUR FULLEST CO-OPERATION. YOURS FAITHFULLY, DR.JAMES BOLA
There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight.
Funny, hell. I was hopping on one foot in my yellow suit for like an hour.
...if it affords them enough money to purchase keyboards with and keys.
...Well it's just hypocritical to think we would not be driven to such means in the same circumstances.
I mean, for we who are so fortunate as to be blessed with the choice between lower and uppercase letters to sit back and point the finger...
For shame people, for shame.
CONFIDENTIAL MESSAGE TO MIKE ABA:
I WILL BE FORWARDING YOU MY ACCOUNT DETAILS POST HASTE. YOUR DAYS OF FORCED SERVITUDE TO THE UPPERCASE WILL SOON END MY DEAR FRIEND. HOW IS YOUR FINE FAMILY DOING? PLEASE IGNORE THE NEGATIVE VOICES OF THESE SLASHDOTTERS. THEY ARE NOT GOOD CHURCH GOING FOLK LIKE US. BLESSED BE, MIKE. NATHDOT
A few months ago, I had an offer from this Dr. Fafa dude in Nigeria. He wanted me to hold onto $21,320,000 for him. I told him that since I live in Canada, I needed to know how much that would be in Canadian dollars. He wrote back and said it'd be $21,319,999,998.44 Canadian. Near as I can tell, he musta multiplied by a thousand, and since the U.S./Canada exchange rate at the time was $1.56, he then SUBTRACTED $1.56 from $21,320,000,000. Of all the Nigerian scam artists, I have to deal with the Dan Quayle of the bunch.
Why get upset?? This guy decided to turn the Nigerian Spam Scam into a contest. You forward the emails to him, he adds up the amounts promised to you. I'm currently in about 10th place with $82 million. There's no prize, it's just for fun.
And Slashdot already posted this entertaining saga of someone who pretended to go along with it to see what would happen. Hilarious.