A new take on the Nigerian scam emails...

Christien · Christien's Garage

Now it seems they're coming by regular mail! I received this today in our company's PO box:

It's got a real "signature" on it, (you can see the pen indentations on the reverse side of the page) and it's postmarked from Spain. I have no idea how they would have got my name - the address I can see, because our company website has all that info, and they could've just found that at random, but even my company email address only has my first initial and last name, so it's a bit weird they got both names associated with the address. Funny they got my first name spelled right (even with the "e", rather than the more standard "a") but not my last name.

Anyway, I know some people like to play with these folks, so if anyone wants to, have at it. I blurred my name out because I know these things tend to get around the net (and I hope it does!).

Tervuren · Tervuren's Garage

Actualy, they started with written letters, not email.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

There was something on 20/20 about this the other day. They called the person in Nigera behind the email, and then sent him a package of "monopoly money" and followed it down to Nigeria. When he picked it up, the authorities arrested him.

They said that this is a huge industry in Nigeria.... in Lagos, the avg. daily wage is $1 and they make a heck of a lot more than that scamming foreigners. Looks like this one moved his operations to Spain.

coldstart · 12-11-2006, 09:29 AM

I have a client whose spouse sent $160K (CDN) to Nigeria. They then were so stupid, they WENT over to Nigeria to see if they could get their money back or better. I am suprised that they made it back in one piece.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the North American public.....

Christien · Christien's Garage

$160K!? Holy *****!! Is that person a client because they're suing someone in Nigeria? I see they haven't learned their lesson yet

coldstart · 12-12-2006, 06:50 AM

The fact that their spouse is a dupe is completely unrelated my role. They just told it to me as part of their past history so obviously I can't go into details into their stupidity. As the scammers are in Nigeria, the only person there is to sue is themselves for being dumb.

coldstart · 06:53 AM

BTW, I have $160 million that I need to retrieve from long term storage but I lost the key and a new one costs $160,000. Anyone want to lone me the money? I'll pay 200% interest......

send me an e-mail: nigerianscammers@basedintaiwan.udumb

and whire d money to me China bankese account where I keepa the moneey. achount nombre 54090809998998099099.

Christien · Christien's Garage

Wow, just wow. I mean, let's just say for a second I lost all control of reason and fell for one of these things, the last thing I would EVER do would be to tell someone!!! Of course maybe in this case disclosure was necessary, but man, that's gotta be embarassing!

coldstart · 12-12-2006, 06:54 AM

Let's just say this person didn't have the world at their heels....

notfarnow · 12-12-2006, 07:27 AM

My grandmother lost ~300k to scammers. Started with small stuff, like buying into sweepstakes. By the end it was "paying tax on a huge lottery win" and transferring large sums.

By the time the family found out it was too late.

Sad, because my grandmother was always extremely tight-fisted and cynical. But as she lost her faculties, she became a cash cow for scammers.

motion · 12-12-2006, 07:34 AM

Can you imagine the look in the Nigerian scammer's eyes when he realizes that he is now $160k richer? *THAT* must have been priceless! Wonder what he bought with the money, Escalades all around?

notfarnow · 12-12-2006, 07:39 AM

I've always wondered how it works at the other end. I imagine a call center type environment, where people get a small cut or bonus for hooking a sucker, but the majority of the money goes ato a grand pooh-bah of some sort.

Christien · Christien's Garage

Jake, that's awful. Please tell me at least a lot of it was on credit cards and loans that can be written off, rather than savings.

notfarnow · 12-12-2006, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Christien
Jake, that's awful. Please tell me at least a lot of it was on credit cards and loans that can be written off, rather than savings.

Nope, savings.

Had saved all her life, and was very cautious and fiercely independant. We used to always tease her for being cheap, but she was saving to ensure she wouldn't be a burden and to be able to leave money for her family.

Because she was so independant, it wasn't until she started selling things that my uncle caught on. My grandmother was very resistant to having him look at her finances, and by the time he got power of attorney, it was too late.

Luckily, she has enough assets that she can still get by. She was an avid art, map and antique collector. The sale of these items should see her through.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Quote:

Can you imagine the look in the Nigerian scammer's eyes when he realizes that he is now $160k richer? *THAT* must have been priceless! Wonder what he bought with the money, Escalades all around?

On the 20/20 special last week, they showed a large house (a mansion for the standards of Lagos) with a new Cadillac SUV in the drive way (coverred with dust) that had been seized by the Nigerian authorities. It had belonged to one of the scammers who had been arrested and is now in prison.

legion · 12-12-2006, 10:13 AM

Too bad the government is just seizing the money for themselves and the scammed will never see a dime recouped.