Check out this scam....

[KaTooMer]

Since I'm a banker, I've seen this scam a hundred times, but this is the first time I've been directly solicited. You might have already heard about it, but here's the scoop: an e-mail arrives from someone in an African country (in my case, Nigeria) who just happened to come across a huge sum of money and needs to park it for a short time in someone else's bank account. There's always a vague reason for needing your assistance, and in exchange for your help, they'll give you a share of the money. All you need to do is give them your bank account information. Bet you can't guess what happens next...they either clean out your account right away, or ask you to send them several thousand dollars to cover legal costs or some B.S. The e-mail I received is copied below. If you receive one of these, don't respond, but do contact the fraud department at your bank. Check it out:



----- Original Message -----
From: "MRS.RUTH OBED" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2000 2:20 PM
Subject: PLEASE HELP US


> Mrs. Ruth Obed
> c/o Anthony Egobia
> Anthony Egobia & co
> Legal practitioners
> 2 falohun steet, Aguda
> S/L Lagos, Nigeria.
> Fax: 234-1-4400230
> TELEPHONE:234-8033033631
>
> Dear/Sir,
>
> I am Mrs. Ruth Obed, widow of the late Lt. Col. M.
> Obed, the former military Administrator of Kaduna
> state of Nigeria. my late husband was one of the
> victims of the 7th November 1996 ADC Aircraft Boing
> 727 that crashed in Lagos.
>
> I have just been informed by our family attorney,
> Barrister Anthony Egobia that my late husband operated
> a secret account with the Union Bank Plc into which a
> total sum of Thirty million United state Dollars
> ($30,000,000.00) was lodged in. This above mentioned
> amount was paid in and credited in the name of his
> American business friend Engr. John Creek who
> unfortunately died in the same mishap. The attorney
> now advised me to seek in confidence a foreign partner
> whom this fund would be transferred into his/her bank
> account for disbursement as directed by my late
> husband's WILL.
>
> It has been resolved that 20% will be your share for
> nominating an account for this purpose and any other
> assistance you will give in this regard. 10% has been
> slated out for the reimbursement of local and
> international expenses which may be incurred in the
> transfer process. finally, 70% will come to my
> children and my self and good part of this shall be
> directed towards executing my late husband's WILL,
> which is to buy shares and stocks in foreign country
> to secure his children's future.
>
> To facilitate the conclusion of this project if
> accepted by you, do send to me promptly via email your
> response or you direct it to my family attorney
> through his direct fax line: 234-1-4400230. You should
> please furnish us with the following details:
>
> 1. The bank Account number to be used for the
> remittance.
> 2. Name and address of the bank.
> 3. Your telephone, fax and mobile numbers for easy
> communication
>
> Please note that I have been assured that the
> transaction will be concluded within (2) weeks upon
> receiving from you the above listed information. May I
> at this point emphasis the high level of
> confidentiality which this business demands and hope
> you will not betray the trust and confidence which I
> repose on you. Since the death of my husband, life has
> been very difficult for my children and I, so this is
> to say that this fund is the hope of my children and I.
>
>
> God would bless you as you assist the poor widow and
> the fatherless children.
>
> Best wishes,
> Mrs. Ruth Obed.

 

[BEEF706]

Mine came from Liberia, but I didn't turn it in to my CU, I just ignored it. I guess I will give a call to the CU just to let em know. My motto on this suff "if it sounds to good to be true, it is" :p

 

[CC_RIDER]

I received one from Zimbabwe in the mail about a month ago, and then just this week I got the email below. It is sad to think some people get taken by scams like this. And it is curious how much the scams resemble each other with just the principles and numbers changed.


From: Mr.Wilson Adelabu
Tel:234-80-33329085
Fax:234-9-2721523
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 Government of Nigeria Contract Award and Monitoring Committeein the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC)Sometime ago,a contract was awarded to a foreign firm
in NNPC by my Committee.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 20% of the money,70% will be for me and my partners while 10% has been mapped out from the total sum
to cover any upfront or out of pocket expenses that may be incurred by all parties during the course of this transfer,both locally and international expenses.In order for us to commence the
transaction i would require the following: -

1.Your company's name,address,telephone and fax numbers.
2.Your bank name,address,account and routing numbers

The above information would be use 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 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 Ministeries for 100% security.
We are ordinary Government workers 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
Government start Auditing all Government owned Parastatals accounts.Please contact me immediately through my email addresses whether or not you are interested
in this deal.If you are not,it will enable me scout for another foreignpartner to carry out this deal.But where you are interested, send the required documents
aforementioned herein through my confidential (PHONE NUMBER ABOVE)as time is of the essence in this business.

I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Mr.Wilson Adelabu.

 

[JuliusPleaser]

Do people actually fall for this stuff?

 

[a454elk]

I got one also, AT MY WORK! I sent a reply back that all I'd really like was for them to just send me all the money! They sent another email stating that, "It doesn't work that way". I haven't heard back since.

 

[KWJams]

Foolish Unbelievers!

I'm fixing to jump all over both opportunities--- :silly:

;) ;)

It is a shame since these scams are aimed at the elderly and with an origin off shore they can get away with it. :(

For almost no cost at all they send the pleas out to a gazillion people and if they get just one sucker --- they win.

 

[Milquetoast]

I get that email all the time, I think I'm on some kind of "opportunity seekers" email list somewhere. :(

 

[Bill Hibbs]

Sounds like an Al Queda Scam.

 

[YZ250]

Some dude phoned me and said he would give me $1000 if I would by $50 in pens with my credit card. I said you send me the $1000 and when I get it I'll give you $100. LOL This dude was real pushy and wouldn't take no for an answer. We argued, he got mad, I tried not to laugh. He eventually hung up on me. Not very good way to do business. LOL

 

[LoriKTM]

Originally posted by Julius Pleaser
Do people actually fall for this stuff?

People are still buying the Weekly World News and National Enquirer off the newsstand in droves. They'll fall for anything. :silly:

 

[tileman]

Had a guy call here one time about 2yrs ago said that I had won a new car
All he needed was a credit card # so he could get all the tax & tag stuff worked out I was like well when I come down to pickup the car Ill will pay the tax & tag then. He then gets all mad and bent out of shape telling me what a deal I am geting on this free car so after like 20 min on the phone I was like hold on somebody was at my door hes like ok. I was just trying to hold back the laugh and I told him that Ed Mcman was outside with the wining Sweepstakes for me and then I could not hold it I was laughing hard. :) :)


Ron.

 

[YoTRacer158]

yeah i had a guy call me saying i won some sweepstakes by paying with my credit card and that all he needed to do was get my credit card number so he could confirm it with the one he had...sorry buddy i'm only 17, no credit cards

...using the only secured and confidential medium available to seek for foreign assistance/partnership in a business transaction which is of mutual benefit...

...May I at this point emphasis the high level of confidentiality which this business demands and hope you will not betray the trust and confidence which I repose on you...

and isnt it amazing how all these africans speak such fluent english??

 

[Hogwylde]

Originally posted by YoTRacer158
and isnt it amazing how all these africans speak such fluent english??

What's amazing is the people born and raised here that CANT!!

DISCLAIMER!! Notice I said "people" and not a specific race or nationality.

 

[YoTRacer158]

What's amazing is the people born and raised here that CANT!!

what is you talkin bout? we's all speakin da english good...aint we? ;)

 

[dirty~d~]

Originally posted by Julius Pleaser
Do people actually fall for this stuff?

I was wondering the same thing. Now why would ANYone trust a stranger through the internet with their bank account info and any other personal, private information? Those must be the same people who manage to get abducted by them thar alien critters. :scream: :confused:

 

[jmics19067]

I got hit up with I won the lotterry in canada if all I do is send them 2000$ to cover the insurance of them sending me the money. A lot of scams out there like that. told theguy that all I had was 1000 in the bank and he was like well that would work I am like I am sure it would as I hung up.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Originally posted by Julius Pleaser
Do people actually fall for this stuff?

It is hard to believe that anyone could be that stupid but people get scammed everyday looking for something for nothing. :confused:

 

[dklink2000]

Originally posted by LoriKTM


People are still buying the Weekly World News and National Enquirer off the newsstand in droves.

I love the Weekley World News!! :confused: