Do people actually fall for this?

[Gaffer]

I've been sent this loads of times now, but do people actually fall for this?

 

 

 

ATTN:MANAGING DIRECTOR

 

I am writing this proposal hoping that you would be of assistance in this business of mutual benefit. My name is Dr. Hassan Hugo an auditor at one of the Federal Ministries in Lagos-Nigeria.

 

During our last audit exercise, some amount of money totaling $16.5Million was discovered and traced to be owned by one late Engineer Muller Robert, a foreigner who died in a plane crash. The source of this fund was further traced to be a contract payment made to him but has remained unclaimed till now. Since his death, nobody has shown up to claim this fund and this attracted my curiosity.

 

I therefore made a research and found out that he did not leave any next of kin in his confidential document with the ministry that he executed the contract for. A panel setup by the Federal Government on recovery of funds expects that this fund should be unquestionably claimed by any of his available foreign next of kin or alternatively the fund should be donated for arms and ammunition at a military war college here in Nigeria. Fervent valuable efforts were made by the Panel to get in touch with any of the family or relatives but all have proved to no avail.

 

It is because of the perceived possibility of not going to be able to locate any next of kin ( he had no wife and children) that the panel under the influence of our chairman, Rtd Major General Usman Bello, that arrangement is being made for the fund to be declared UNCLAIMABLED and then be donated to the Trust Fund for arms and ammunition which will further enhance the perpetration of war in Africa and the third world in general. To forestall this move, my colleagues and I have taken it upon ourselves to source for a foreign partner who could assist in claiming this fund for further transfer abroad.

 

I have been given the sole mandate to source for a partner as soon as possible to that effect. All documents and proof to enable you get this fund have been carefully worked out and I am assuring you a 100% risk free involvement. Your share would be 30% of the total amount if you agree to assist while 10% would be set aside to offset all expenses in course of the transfer and the rest would be for us for investment purposes in your country. If this proposal is OK by you, and you do wish to take the advantage of the trust we hope to bestow on you and your company, then kindly reach me immediately via e-mail furnishing me with your most confidential telephone and fax numbers and exclusive email so that I can forward to you the relevant details of the transaction. I expect your urgent response.

 

Regards,

Dr. Hassan Hugo

(htrevhassan@lycos.com)

 

[ 19 June 2002, 09:36 PM: Message edited by: Gaffer ]

[Salar]

Yes, they do! Before email they used to be sent badly typewritten on flimsy paper. I remember a program on TV about it, and they interviewed several people who had been dumb enough to pay up. It must be still working for them to be doing the same scam 12 years later! Either that or Nigerians are even more optimistic than carp fishermen

[chesters1]

looks good to me ,if your not going to get rich i am my bank details are in the post

[carpnabber]

hi all,

 

this might have something or nothing to do with this subject but i remember back in '82 when i received a call-up by the "emergency call-up act" which stated that i had been called up for a tour of duty in the falklands. as this was during the falklands war(sorry conflict) and i was only 16, i can tell you it gave me a few sleepless nights!!

of course these (photocopied) letters done the rounds to all my mates(sorry boys!)

 

stupid, yeah i probaly was.

naive, most definatly!!

 

oh well, theres my penneth worth

[chesters1]

there are some very good shock "kits" available out there e.g brown envelopes marked " confidential ,herpes test results enclosed " or " confidential ,CSA enquiry forms enclosed" should get the mrs talking to you

[Nugg]

Lets face it, its peoples shear greed that makes them go for it, the something for nothing syndrome.

[davidP]

I read an article in the paper about the internet cafes in Nigeria that had sprung up almost exclusively for people operating scams like this. Once they get your bank details you can expect all sorts of things to be bought in your name, transfers to be made etc. I get a couple of these or similar a week and they are the only spam mails I actually report because more often than not they're being sent through legitimate e-mail providers and they will shut down the accounts.

[Jim Roper]

Gaffer:

I've been sent this loads of times now, but do people actually fall for this?

 

 

[/i]

Send a copy and all details or where it came from to the High Tech Crime Unit of your local police force. They should be keeping watch on this sort of thing. The more details they have, the more likely they are to find a thread that leads to something.

 

Jim Roper

[yoxer]

I get at least 6 per week and have done so for over the last year

[Leon Roskilly]

Not only do some people fall for it, but they get bitten several times!

 

'Problems' arise which needs a bit more cash (for bribes etc).

 

The punter who has already laid out money then has the dilemma of saying goodbye to his stake, or topping it up - some do.

 

Then some well dressed gentlemen turn up from the Embassy, or the Nigerian police saying that they are gathering evidence, and there's a good chance that the punter will get all of his money back - of course the sting requires him to lay even more money on the line to recoup what he's lost so far! And they do!!

 

No, not me! There was a programme on telly.

 

Tight Lines - leon