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419er Lost in Space

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the someone-will-fall-for-it dept.

rjp writes "The Register has what is probably the best 419 scam attempt ever! 419er's in space, if only! As always, check out 419 eater for more 419 goodness."

31 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. no, that is genuine.. by adeyadey · · Score: 4, Funny

    its the ISS thats the giant 419 scam..

    --
    "You lied to me! There is a Swansea!"
  2. Warp by Cyberop5 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Reminds me of a time when someone sent me spam trying to sell me a warp core.
    I wish I still had it in my archives.

    --
    Urgo: "I want to live. I want to experience the universe and I want to eat pie!"
    Jack: "Who doesn't??"
    1. Re:Warp by Voltronalpha · · Score: 5, Funny

      I've got warp cores for sale, but first I'll need your SSN# to do a background check; we can't let these babies fall into the wrong hands if you know what I mean.

      --
      There is evidence to prove both Democrats and Republicans are lying cocksuckers. Vote independently.
    2. Re:Warp by AKAImBatman · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Sorry to burst your bubble, but that is a very real email. I myself have gotten it once or twice. There's another, more elaborate, follow-up email that explains that the guy is from the future and is trying to get back. The scary part is, he was almost convincing!

      Ah, here we are: http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/timetravelspam.html

      --
      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
  3. DANGER!!! by FrYGuY101 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Robot: Danger Will Robinson! If you fall for this, your cranial capacity is minuscule! Danger!
    Dr. Smith: Shush, you blithering imbecile! Nobody could POSSIBLY fall for something so obviously fake!

    --
    "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living."

    - Seneca
  4. Fool me once... Fool me twice... by Galileo430 · · Score: 4, Funny

    At this point, I have no sympathy for people who fall for this. Someone must have been smoking some really good stuff to come up with something this stupid.

    1. Re:Fool me once... Fool me twice... by alouts · · Score: 4, Funny
      "fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on... shame on... ... won't get fooled again!"

      our beloved president, George W Bush.

    2. Re:Fool me once... Fool me twice... by HoneyBunchesOfGoats · · Score: 5, Informative

      the official whitehouse transcription of the speech in question

      There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on -- shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again.

  5. Re:What's a 419? by pe1chl · · Score: 4, Informative

    There exist other countries outside the US, that have a legal system.

    419 is a Nigerian penal code number.

  6. It's bogus! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Waidaminit! There never was a Soyuz T-16Z flight! The whole thing is bogus!!!

  7. Wow!! by vinit79 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wow !!! Thanks a lot for posting this . I am ready to volunteer. Finally ..... I will get the millions I deserve.

    Any one knows a Ferrari dealer around here ??? I just spent 100 bucks on a new optomagnetic mouse which cures AIDS and cancer (After all I will be getting millions soon)

    Thanks again /.

  8. The way these scams work. by Matrix2110 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The way these scams work is that if you send it to enough people, sooner or later somebody is going to buy into it no matter what and that is scary.

    I just wonder how many people already have fallen for this one.

  9. Whoops. by Raindance · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Russian astronaut that's going to be stuck on the space station because of the Register's unfounded skepticism is going to be pissed.

  10. Re:What's a 419? by vinit79 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Check this out http://www.419eater.com/html/419faq.htm

  11. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  12. It does exist! by Thiago+Ize · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm surprised that Nigeria actually has a space program - http://www.nasrda.gov.ng. Granted they don't have astronauts yet, but wow, impressive! I guess this is the first time I have actually learned something from 419 spam--or any spam for that matter!

    Good job!

  13. you should all be ashamed of yourselves by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    not all Nigerian astronauts stuck on Soyuz are scammers you know.

  14. 419 Scam by the+JoshMeister · · Score: 5, Informative


    For those wondering what the heck a 419 Scam is, Wikipedia explains.

    --
    the JoshMeister on Security
  15. Brilliant! by bfandreas · · Score: 5, Funny
    This one got me laughing fo no apparant reason.
    His other Soviet crew members returned to earth on the Soyuz T-16Z, but his place was taken up by return cargo.
    ...now I understand, why this guy loves spam. Yikes! I'm developing a taste for 419ers!
    --
    20 minutes into the future
  16. Beam me up, Scotty!! by malia8888 · · Score: 4, Funny
    From the scam letter about the stranded astronaut: He was stranded there in 1990 when the Soviet Union was dissolved. His other Soviet crew members returned to earth on the Soyuz T-16Z, but his place was taken up by return cargo. There have been occasional Progrez supply flights to keep him going since that time. He is in good humor, but wants to come home.

    On another optimistic note, his grasp of the Klingon language is quite vast.

    --
    Harpo Tunnel Syndrome--my wrist feels funny.
  17. i think the real issue here is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    why the russian crew took the return cargo rather than the nigerian astronaut.

  18. Some take it seriously... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As hard as it is to believe, the 419 coalition takes a serious stance on those Nigerian scams. They claim that it is the third to fifth largest industry in Nigeria and suggests the government is actually involved. It seems to have been around since the early eighties.

    Now if those scams were sent specifically to some rich blokes with the official Nigerian government's letterhead printed on top, I might understand their concern, but as it stands, it is so obviously a fraud that I can't help but think that those who swallow it, deserved it.

    Alternatively, you could see it as one of the more original ways for a third-world country to reclaim some of the riches we stole from them.

  19. Oddly, you're actually telling the truth. by bersl2 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Google cache

  20. Scam-baiting by rock_climbing_guy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    For those of you not familiar, there are a number of web sites now that feature accounts of fed-up e-mail users messing with the 419 scammers. Here is one such result. Check out 419eater.

    --
    Wh47 d1d j00 541, 31337 15n't t3h r0xor5 ne m0r3???
  21. 20% of $15M by amembleton · · Score: 4, Funny

    20% of $15M is $3M which is what they're asking for so you'd only make money on the intrest between receiving the money and giving it back. Looks like a scam to me. I'd avoid it.

    /sarcasm

  22. Re:as the proverb says by IIH · · Score: 5, Funny
    A fool and his money are never together for long...

    But have you noticed that the proverb never tells you how the fool gets the money in the first place?

    --
    Exigo spamos et dona ferentes
  23. Re:Scams by trmj · · Score: 4, Funny

    I doubt anbody will fall for this one, they forgot to use the caps lock key!

    --
    Work sucked, until it became unemployment, when it became slightly more tolerable. -Tet
  24. Re:What the hell is "on the spoke"? by Moonpie+Madness · · Score: 4, Funny

    Lets just say it happens in prison a lot

  25. Re:Just plausible enough, even if it's parody. by Jussi+K.+Kojootti · · Score: 5, Informative

    You're probably right about plausibility, but Valery Polyakov actually spent 437 days on board Mir.

  26. The thing that makes it obviously a scam... by gilroy · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... is the thought that the Russian space agency even has $15M to spend on "back pay".

    --
    The Mongrel Dogs Who Teach
  27. Worth your while to checkout 419 eater by amichalo · · Score: 4, Informative

    I highly encourage anyone who needs alaughtot checkout the 419 eater website referenced in the news clip.

    They got this scammer to pose with a loaf of bread on his head and mail them a photo!

    And this scammer actually spent $21.50 to mail this guy a $20 USD bill!

    Just browse the trophy room and then read teh entire message.

    --
    I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.