FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON SCAM MAIL

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We have collected more examples of the Nigerian Scam on a supplementary page. Do not be shocked if the e-mail you've received, or may still receive, is not yet listed here; there are hundreds upon hundreds of versions. Those samples below a merely SAMPLE EMAILS from those dreaded pests.

Below is a detailed summery with explanations of a common Nigerian Scam:

Example: BELOW

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 MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.
WE ARE TOP OFFICIAL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACT REVIEW PANEL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN IMPORTATION 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.

Origins: Even as you read this, the world infamous Nigerian Scam (also known as a "4-1-9" or "Advance Fee Fraud" scheme) is extracting more money from the get rich quick

Here's how it works: Letters (or, nowadays, e-mail messages) postmarked from Nigeria (or Sierra Leone, or the Ivory Coast, or almost any other foreign nation) are sent to addresses taken from large mailing lists. The letters promise rich rewards for helping officials of that government (or bank, or quasi-government agency or sometimes just members of a particular family) out of an embarrassment or a legal problem. Typically, the pitch includes mention of multi-million dollar sums, with the open promise that you will be permitted to keep a startling percentage of the funds you're going to aid in squirreling away for these disadvantaged foreigners.

If you're not saying "scam" by now, you should be. Should you agree to participate in this international bail-out, something will go wrong. Paperwork will be delayed. Questions will be asked. Officials will need to be bribed. Money from you -- an insignificant sum, really, in light of the windfall about to land in your lap -- will be required to get things back on track. You pay, you wait for the transfer . . . and all you'll get in return are more excuses about why the funds are being held up and assurances that everything can be straightened out if you'll just send a bit more cash to help the process along. Once your bank account has been sucked dry or you start making threats, you'll never hear from these Nigerians again. As for the money you've thrown at this, it's gone forever.

In a nutshell, the con works by blinding the victim with promises of an unimaginable fortune. Once the sucker is sufficiently glittery-eyed over the prospect of becoming fabulously rich, he is squeezed for however much money he has. This he parts with willingly, thinking "What's $5,000 here or $10,000 there when I'm going to end up with $2 million when this is all done?" He fails to realize during the sting that he's never going to get the promised fortune; all of this messing around is designed to part him from his money.

In another form taken by the Nigerian scam, a church or religious organization is contacted by a wealthy foreigner who says he desires nothing more than to leave his considerable fortune to that particular group. Maybe he says he's led a life of sin and is now trying to make good, or maybe he claims that as a devout Christian he heard about their good works and wants to leave his money to help continue them, but whatever the backstory, it's just a tale. Once again, there will be delays, each of them necessitating the "beneficiary" to spend a few thousand here and a few thousand there in an effort to collect money that never materializes.

In a 2002 version of the con, the victim is informed he has just won an important prize in a foreign lottery he doesn't remember entering. Only when he tries to collect the money is he approached for payment of facilitation fees to get his winnings to him. It's the same con, with just a few elements unimportant to the execution of the thievery method.

The scam is known as the Nigerian scam, but many countries are routinely named as the homelands the appeals originate from. Likewise, the backstory, the tale that supposedly explains how these people came into possession of this incredible sum and why they now need help getting it out of wherever, changes from one e-mail to the next. There are hundreds of versions in existence, each naming different people, describing different situations, and coming from a myriad of far-flung countries. Forget about matching one backstory to another or being suspicious of e-mails from Nigerians but not applying the same caution to approaches from folks from other places -- grasp instead the general principle of the scam: Someone from someplace far away wants to give you (or your church) millions of dollars but needs your help in moving the money from there to here. It doesn't matter if the letter says it came from Sri Lanka and the "funds" that need moving are gold bricks or uncut diamonds -- it's the Nigerian scam. Don't let the naming blind you to that.

Once the scam is explained, it seems so obvious a con that you'd wonder who would fall for it. Yet fall for it people do because they're mesmerized by the wealth that will soon be theirs. They also fail to realize there's a hook hanging just out of sight; at first all they see is that someone wants to give them something, thus they're ill-prepared to mentally shift gears when that person turns the tables. Because the premise of "I'm going to get millions of dollars" is wholeheartedly swallowed early on, it's not at a later point questioned when things begin to go wrong with the transaction and the dupes who have been targeted are asked to dig up some funds to help move things along.

The Nigerian scam is hugely successful. According to a 2009 newspaper article: "We have confirmed losses just in the United States of over $880 million in the past few years, said Special Agent James Caldwell, of the Secret Service financial crimes division. And that's just the ones we know of. We figure a lot of people don't report them."

But this is a new scam, right? People are falling for it because they've yet to catch on? Wrong. Very, very wrong.

The Nigerian Scam has been emptying the pockets of victims for decades -- first through letters, then with faxes, and now via e-mail. In its earliest incarnation -- which dates to the 1920s -- it was known as "The Spanish Prisoner" con. In that long-ago version, businessmen were contacted by someone trying to smuggle the scion of a wealthy family out of a prison in Spain. But of course the wealthy family would shower with riches those who helped secure the release of the boy. Those who were suckered into this paid for one failed rescue attempt after another, with the fictitious prisoner continuing to languish in his non-existent dungeon, always just one more bribe, one more scheme, one more try, away from being released.

These days it's trapped funds not errant sons of well-to-do families that are the objects of these global wild goose chases, but the con is the same. The undisputed headquarters of the scam is Nigeria, with some of the cons progressing so far as to have the victims fly to that country to meet with the "officials" they are purportedly assisting. Things got so out of hand, in fact, that in 1991 the Nigerian government felt compelled to issue a statement disavowing its participation in this scheme:

FROM THE DESK OF:MR.BRIAN CAPON
NATIONAL WESTMINISTER BANK,
LONDON,
UNITED KINGDOM.
briancapon70@netscape.net
Dear Friend,
I am Mr.Brian Capon the system and control director at the NATIONAL WESTMINISTER BANK.I am writing this letter to solicit for support and assistance from you to carry out this business opportunity in my bank.
Lying in an inactive account is the sum of 11million pounds sterling belonging to a foreign customer(Michael Gambone) who was a gas consultant here in UK,who happens to be deceased during a business trip. He died with his wife(Deborah Gambone) on board the Swissair Flight 111 , which crashed into the Atlantic off Nova Scotia in september 2nd 1998.
The news of this crash was on the news which we have notified his relatives to no avail.See links below for more detail informaion:
http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/WORLD/9809/swissair.victims.list/
http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/WORLD/americas/9809/08/swissair.02/
Ever since he died the bank has been expecting his next of kin to come and claim these fund. To this effect, we can not release the money unless someone applies for it as next of kin, as indicated in our banking guideline.
Unfortunately he has no family member in UK or Over-sea who are aware of the existence of the money(as he was a gas consultant.
At this juncture i have decided to do business with you.To this effect I solicit your assistance in applying as the next of kin to the bank then the money will be released to you, as I do not want this money to go into the bank treasury as an unclaimed bill, because the banking law and guideline stipulates that if such money(s) remains unclaimed for a period of up to eight years(8yrs),the money will be transferred into
the bank treasury as an unclaimed bill.
My request for a foreigner as next of kin is occasioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a British cannot stand as next of kin.
40% of the money will be your share as a foreign partner and your assistance to actualise this business,5% for any expenses incured.
Thereafter i will visit your country with your help once the money hits your account for disbursement according to the percentage indicated.
To effect the immediate transfer of the fund to you as agreed,you must apply first to the bank as the next of kin to the deceased,then we will follow up all formalities for the transaction.
Upon receipt of your reply, i will send to you, the text of the application you are to send to the bank,and further clearify you in other issues as toeffect this business.
Awaiting to hear from you urgently.
Best Regards
Mr.Brian Capon.
- Brian Capon

Greetings,
My name is Mrs Janet Brown,I have decided to donate what I have to you.I was diagnosed for cancer for about few weeks ago.I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to the you for the good work of God/needy,I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $10,000,000 =USD to you. Contact my Physican Dr Steve Astyl with this specified email; { drstevestyl@aim.com } and tell him that I have WILLED $10,000,000 =USD, my personal ref number law/WILL/9834520012.I know I dont know you but I have been directed to do this.Thanks and God bless.I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as I don't want anything that will jeopardize my last wish. Regards, Mrs Janet Brown NB; Do Send Him The Necessary Below information To Faclilate The Funds Release WILL For You(i)FULL NAMES (ii) RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, CITY, STATE AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE.(iii) AGE, SEX AND MARITAL STATUS. (iv) DIRECT PHONE NUMBER (v)OCCUPATION (vi) EMAIL ADDRESS

A current lure of riches scam.

Attn :
now we have arranged your payment of ($2.8millions) two millions five hundred thousand united state dollars in atm payment card to be sent to you through western union money transfer payment: Your payment will sending to you by western union, the amount you will receive per day is $5,000
The minister trust funds of Benin Republic will send you the currently standards track details you need to pick up your ($5,000) payment by western union, you will receive every day till you receive the $2.8millions united state dollars, now no need to send you this atm card because you can not be able to withdraw the atm card due to the atm master card contain large money on it.

The director administrator trust funds have already signed your payment, now you are free to comply with wemaco payment office on this email: ( wu.moneytransfer2008@hotmail.fr )

however, kindly contact the below person who is in position to release your payment by western union per $5,000 a day.

Mr Kevin Anthony,
western union department
Financial Bank Benin,
Mobile:+22998350693
E-mail:(wu.moneytransfer2008@hotmail.fr )
The financial western union payment canter has been mandated to issue out your payment and you have to stop any further communication with any other person(s) or office(s) to avoid any hitches in receiving your payment.

The Hong Kong Scam

Greetings from Hong Kong, I'm Mr. Jerry Ntai. I work with the Mevas Bank. I wish to make a transfer involving a huge amount of money worth $21,500,000.00 I do solicit your assistance in effecting this transaction.

I intend to give 35% of the total funds as compensation for your assistance. I will notify you on the full transaction on receipt of your response if interested, and I shall send you the details and necessary procedures with which to make the transfer. Should you be interested? Please send me your; Full names/Phone number/contact address.

Best Regards,

Mr. Jerry Ntai

CONFIDENCE TRICK SCAM

Dear Friend,

How are you today? I hope this mail meets you in a perfect condition. I am using this opportunity to thank you for your great effort to our unfinished transaction and transfer of your international bank draft cheque to you from the bank, am sorry for presenting and using someone else in your name to get this transaction successful. Due to logistic reasons and your inconsistence to the other best known to you. Right now, I want to inform you that I have successfully cleared the bank draft check funds to someone else account who was capable of assisting me in this great venture that have been over and successful.

Due to your effort, sincerity, courage and trustworthiness you showed at the course of the transaction I want to compensate you and show my gratitude to you with the sum of $1,500,000 ( One Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Of America Dollars). I have authorized Mr. Clement Morgan where I deposited the money with to issue you international certified bank draft, cashable cheque at your bank or any where as choice felt. My dear friend I will like you to contact Mr. Clement Morgan for the collection of this international certified bank draft. His name and contact address is as follows:

Name: Clement Morgan
E-mail: clementmorgan12@sify.com
Tel: +234-80-2096-3652

Contact Mr. Clement Morgan At the moment, am very busy here in the united kingdom because of the investment projects which myself and my new partner are having at hand In London Finally remember that I have forwarded instructions to Mr. Clement Morgan on your behalf to send the bank draft cheque of $1,500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Of America Dollars) to you as soon as you contact him without delay. Please I will like you to accept this token with good faith as this is from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks God bless you and your family. Hope to hear from you soon as soon as you\'ve getting my compensation and please do not get angry because that is what I have for now till I finish my project.

Best Regards.
Mr. Oliver Norris

Too good to be true Scam.

Good day, how are you today?
I am writing to inform you of your Cheque Draft confirmable bank draft the sum of $3,700.000.00.three million seven hundred thousand united state dollars. I went to the bank to confirm if the date of expering for the cheque and i find out it getting near for the dead line date and i contacted Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank told me that before the cheque will get to your hand that it will not valid anymore. So I told him to cash the $3.700,000.00 USD UNITED state dollars to cash payment to avoid losting this funds.However, all the necessary arrangement of delivering the $3.700,000.00 USD UNITED STATES DOLLARS in cash was made with Ups Courier COMPANY Ltd here in Cotonou Benin Republic,Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Financial Trust Bank Cotonou have to package the sum of $3.700,000.00 USD in cash for me. Then he also agreed to help me to Register the Consignment with Ups Courier COMPANY.

Infact I thank God for all the movement I made, every thing goes normally.As for our agreement with the Ups Courier Company they promised that your consignment will leave this Country on monday this week,But the Director of the Ups Courier COMPANY said that they need your contacts informations to enable them meet up with you immediately the Diplomat Agent arrived to your Country.Please write a letter of application to the given address below.

Mr Paul Godwin
Tel: +229-9331-7416
E-mail:ups_cc96@live.fr
Website{elitecourier_c@yahoo.in}

Please, Send them your contacts information to enable them locate you immediately they arrive in your country with your BOXes .
This is what they need from you,
Your Full Name ===============
Your Home Address=============
Your corrent Numbers==========
Your Cel Numbers==============
You personal adentification===
SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS
PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XGT442.
SECURITY CODE SCTC/2001DHX/567/
TRANSACTION CODE 233/CSTC/101/33028/
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01

Please make sure you send this needed information to the Director general of Ups Courier COMPANY MR PAUL GODWIN with the address given to you. Note.The Ups Courier COMPANY don't know the contents of the Box. I registered it as family value ables and treasure They don't know it contents money.this is to avoid delay during the delivering of the BOX. don't let them know that is money that is in that Box.I am waiting for your urgent response. You can even call the Director of Ups Courier COMPANY with this line: +22 998 398 55

Thanks and Remain Blessed,
Best Regards,
Mr.Stephen Davidson

A different approach, same scam attempt

Attention Dear

I've cashed your draft/cheque in worth of $2.5.000.00 million usd for your overdue payments,due to the expiry i boxed the money and deposited with shipment of DHL COURIER so to deliver the boxed to you, to avoid another hoax as you were disappointed in the past. So you’re requested to contact the DHL with your delivery address and your telephone numbers so they shall deliver the box to your personal receipt. Below is their contact. Contact Person: Rev.Dr.Douglas Hall.Email; (dhl.service1141@sify.com) Tel; +229 98082190

So contact DHL COURIER SERVICE today and do not forget to contact them with your personal information.

SHIPMENT CODE AWB 33XZS
PACKAGE REGISTERED CODE NO XGT442.
SECURITY CODE SCTC/2001DHX/567/
TRANSACTION CODE 233/CSTC/101/33028/
CERTIFICATE DEPOSIT CODE SCTC/BUN/xxiv/-78/01

Please make sure you send this needed information to the Director General of DHL COURIER COMPANY Rev.Dr.Douglas Hall with the address given to you.

Full Name....
Home adress.....
Home telephone number...
Mobile phone number......
Country..........
identity.........

Regards
Mrs.Jane Williams

They keep on coming

US FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMISSION/WEST AFRICA MONETARY AGENCY / CURRENT SCAM 2009

This is to inform you that the Regional/Federal GOVERMENT of BENIN" had on Wednesday 3rd June agreed/approved to send the sum of $40,000.00 USD part payment out of total sum of $2,500,000.00 between this week/next to you. This payment mode agreement was SIGNED Wednesday by the above WEST AFRICA GOVERMENT to see that they obeyed the current order from the America new President (Barrack Obama), which instructed that all American/European and African Citizens, Whose payment has been delayed in West Africa region due to one reason or the other should be paid the part payment their entitlement.

THE CURRENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMERICA AND WEST GOVERMENT
Due to global economic crises and complain of lack of fund to execute this transaction, the sum of $40,000.00 USD only will be paying to you this/next week, furthermore the agreement has it that you must appear in person after you have received the $40,000.00 this week/next week, you will be financially equipped to fly down to West Africa state (Benin) to sign the clearance documents of your remain sum amount ($2,460,000.00 USD) and fly back with the money in cash to your country. In line with the agreement, you are to forward your full personal data to Mr Wilson Ajah" The payment committee chairman" for payment agreement form signed and indorse by the Supreme Court of West Africa as well as authentic legalization of your fund. Therefore you are advised to contact him immediately by email on:( wamagency02@mailbox.co.za) for more information regarding this development. Do notify us immediately you received the part payment as we will be looking forward to hear from you.

Thank you,
Mr. Michael Chertoff.
Director, US/West Africa Committee.

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THE JOB OFFER TRAP
This is another more recent Scam to watch out for and not fall into their traps