Nice try.

[scruff400]

This through my mail just now:

Sorry, it's a bit long.

Looks great!!




STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & URGENT.

I am Mr, Joseph Edward a native of Cape Town in
South Africa and I am an Executive Accountant with
the
South Africa DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY
First and foremost, I apologized using this medium to
reach you for a transaction/business of this
magnitude, but this is due to
Confidentiality and prompt access reposed on this
medium.

I have decided to seek a confidential
co-operation with you in the execution of the deal
described Hereunder for the benefit of all parties
and
hope you will keep it as a top secret because of the
nature of this transaction.

Within the Department of Mining & Natural Resources
where I work as an Executive Accountant and with the
cooperation of four other top officials, we have in
our possession as overdue payment bills totaling
Twenty - One Million, Five Hundred Thousand U. S.
Dollars ($21,500,000.) which we want to transfer
abroad with the assistance and cooperation of a
foreign company/individual to receive the said fund
on
our behalf or a reliable foreign non-company account
to receive such funds. More so, we are handicapped in
the circumstances, as the South Africa Civil Service
Code of Conduct does not allow us to operate offshore
account hence your importance in the whole
transaction.
This amount $21.5m represents the balance of the
total
contract value executed on behalf of my Department by
a foreign contracting firm, which we the officials
over-invoiced deliberately. Though the actual
contract
cost have been paid to the original contractor,
leaving the balance in the Tune of the said amount
which we have in principles gotten approval to remit
by Key tested Telegraphic Transfer (K.T.T) to any
foreign bank account you will provide by filing in an
application through the Justice Ministry here in
South Africa for the transfer of rights and privileges of
the former contractor to you.

I have the authority of my partners involved to
propose that should you be willing to assist us in
the
transaction, your share of the sum will be 25% of the
$21.5 million, 70% for us and 5% for taxation and
miscellaneous expenses. The business itself is 100%
safe, on your part provided you treat it with utmost
secrecy and confidentiality. Also your area of
specialization is not a hindrance to the successful
execution of this transaction. I have reposed my
confidence in you and hope that you will not
disappoint me. Endeavor to contact me immediately my
e-mail address whether or not you are
interested in this deal. If you are not, it will enable me scout
for another foreign partner to carry out this deal I want
to assure you that my partners and myself are in a
position to make the payment of this claim possible
provided you can give us a very strong Assurance and
guarantee that our share will be secured and please
remember to treat this matter as very confidential
matter, because we will not comprehend with any form
of exposure as we are still in active Government
Service and remember once again that time is of the
essence in this business.
Finally your response to this proposal should be
mailed to my private email account on ([e-mail])
I wait in anticipation of your fullest co-operation.

Yours faithfully,


JOSEPH EDWARD

[apache]

bugger me, I had one of these about 3 years ago.....wonder if he's had any takers

[ninja_eli]

I get this shit so often, even through fax once. Can you believe that they have actually f**ked a few people for thousands of pounds? Heard some even got screwed for tens of thousands. Who with that kind of money is that dumb?

You could reply with some bullshit about being ready to help out and all that, just wind them up (if you've got some spare minutes). Obviously from your hotmail account

[Don]

Yes....I had one of these too...

[anonymous-user]

i got this recently, best bit is I work for the DTI!

[beano1197]

Yawn



They don't give up do they!!

Funnily enough there was some story in the news the other day about a company where a woman who had been gullible enough to part with several $$$s

[scruff400]

quote:
i got this recently, best bit is I work for the DTI!

So you reckon it's a bit dodgy then?

[NickD]

These are standard fraudulent e-mails that have been doing the rounds now for a while (usual involving S. Africa or Nigeria) and are often aimed, rather arbitrarily, at employees in financial institutions.

You should not reply as doing so confirms your existence and then your name and position is often used in other correspondence to further the fraud.

[Jinx]

You are being conned, the one I was offered was for $30 Million.

[scruff400]

quote:
You should not reply

Au contraire Dave, I'm going to see how far I get - I have various e:mail accounts at work (for such occurances) that can easily be deleted - they sent the mail to one of these 'non' addresses !!

I've been courted by worse. Don't worry mate!

[anonymous-user]

quote:

quote:
i got this recently, best bit is I work for the DTI!

So you reckon it's a bit dodgy then?

i laughed for hours, its been going round for at least a year, the source has approached most government agencies such as the Taxes and Revenues dept!
i would love to be in a position to reply but sadly i aint!

[DrSeuss]

It's been around for years, and is known as the Nigerian 419 scam, after the article of Nigeria's penal code which had to be drawn up especially to cover it because it was becoming so prevalent. More details here...

www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/nigeria.htm

But still they keep sending these emails out, so someone, somewhere must be falling for it. IIRC, a British bloke was so taken in by it a few years back that he actually flew out to Africa to meet these people, and got kidnapped for his trouble.

[scruff400]

quote:
British bloke actually flew out to Africa and got kidnapped for his trouble.

Fantastic!!!

...Muppet

[DrSeuss]

In fact, it was only last year - here's the story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1438872.stm

Ticket to Jo'burg for Mr Scruff?

[M@H]

Got mine december 2000:

quote:
From: victor moumah [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 9:11 AM
Subject: REQUEST FOR INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE


> FROM: MR VICTOR MOUMAH
>
> EMAIL : [e-mail]
>
> ATTN: PRESIDENT/CEO
>
> REQUEST FOR INVESTMENT ASSISTANCE
>
>
> DEAR SIR,
>
> I HAVE THE GREATTEST PLEASURE TO WRITE YOU THIS MAIL.
> MY NAME IS MR VICTOR MOUMAH. I WAS A COMMANDER OF THE
> REVOLUTIONARY UNITED FRONT (RUF), A REBEL GROUP
> INVOLVED IN THE SIERRA LEONEAN CIVIL WAR. I SERVED
> UNDER THE RUF REBEL LEADER MR FOUDEY SANKOH. WE WERE
> IN CONTROL OF THE DIAMOND RICH COUNTY OF SIERRA LEONE.
> I CAME ACROSS YOUR CONTACT OVER THE INTERNET HENCE I
> DECIDED TO WRITE YOU TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE
> INVESTMENT OF SOME FUNDS IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANYWHERE
> YOU MAY ADVISE.
>
> RECENTLY, THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
> INTERVIENED IN THE 12YEARS OLD CIVIL WAR IN SIERRA
> LEONE LEADING TO A UN BROKERED SIEZE FIRE BETWEEN THE
> GOVERNMENT FORCES OF PRESIDENT TEJAN KABAH AND THE RUF
> TROOPS. MANY COUNTRIES OF THE UN CONTRIBUTED TROOPS TO
> THE UN FORCES IN SIERRA LEONE (UNISL). DURING THIS
> PROCESS OUR LEADER MY FOUDEY SANKOH WAS ARRESTED AND
> IS TO BE TRIED FOR GENECIDE BY THE UN WAR TRIBUNAL AT
> A LATER DATE. I ESCAPED TO GHANA AND LATTER TO NIGERIA
> WHERE I AM CURRENTLY STAYING AS A WAR REFUGEE IN THAT
> COUNTRY.
>
> WHILE THE WAR LASTED, I WAS INCHARGE OF THE SALE OF
> DIAMONDS FOR THE RUF, THE PROCEEDS WE USED TO PURCHASE
> AMMUNITIONS TO PROSECUTE THE WAR. HOWEVER, BEFORE THE
> UN PEACEKEEPERS ARRIVED IN SIERRA LEONE TO ENSURE THE
> SEIZE FIRE AS ORDERED THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL, I HAD A
> TOTAL OF US$18MILLION LEFT IN MY CUSTODY. WHEN IT
> BECAME APPRENT THAT THE SEIZE FIRE WAS IMMINENT, I
> FLED TO GHANA WITH THIS MONEY WITH THE MONEY WITH THE
> ESCORT OF TROOPS UNDER MY COMMANDER. THIS MONEY WAS
> CONCEILLED IN A METTALIC BOX AND TAKEN TO GHANA AS
> PERSONAL EFFECTS TO BEAT SECURITY CHECK AT VARIOUS
> POINTS.
>
> ON ARRIVAL IN GHANA, I DEPOSITED THE MONEY WITH GLOBAL
> SECURITY/FINANCE COMPANY FOR SAFE-KEEPING. WHEN THE
> POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE IN GHANAUNFAVOURABLE BECAME FOR
> ME CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT GHANA IS A NEIGHBOURING
> COUNTRY TO SIERRA LEONE, I FURTHER FLED TO LAGOS,
> NIGERIA WHERE THE FORMER NIGERIAN MILITARY LEADER
> LATE GENERAL SANI ABACHA GRANTED ME AND SOME OF MY
> COLLEAGUES POLITICAL ASSYLUM. THE SITUATION AT HOME IS
> STILL NOT CONDUSIVE FOR US TO RETURN BACK TO OUR
> COUNTRY AND THAT IS WHY I NOW PLAN TO LEAVE FROM HERE
> TO ANYWHERE OUTSIDE AFRICA WHERE I COULD INVEST THIS
> MONEY TO START LIFE AGAIN. I LOST ALL THE MEMBERS OF
> MY FAMILY INCLUDING MY BELOVED WIFE AND SIX CHILDREN
> IN THE WAR. IT WAS SO DEVASTATING.
>
> HAVING SETTLED DOWN IN NIGERIA, I NOW WISH TO CONTACT
> YOU TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE TO INVEST THIS MONEY IN
> YOUR COUNTRY OR ANYWHERE YOU MAY CHOOSE FOR ME.
> ALREADY, I HAVE SORT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SECURITY
> COMPANY IN GHANA FOR THE FURTHER MOVEMENT OF THIS FUND
> TO ANY OF THEIR AFFLIATED OFFICES ANYWHERE IN EUROPE
> TO MAKE IT EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO YOU. IF YOU AGREE, I
> SHALL GIVE YOU A FREE HAND TO RUND THE INVESTMENT
> PROGRAMME ON MY BEHALF. YOU WILL ALSO AGREE TO ASSIST
> ME OBTAIN RESIDENT STATUS IN YOUR COUNTRY AS WELL AS
> BE FULLY INCHARGE OF ALL THE PROCESSES LEADING TO THE
> SAFE PASSAGE OF THIS FUND INTO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT.
> YOU WILL LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU INTEND YO TAKE AS
> COMPENSATION FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED ASSISTANCE. THIS
> WILL BE DICUSSSED AND AGREED BY BOTH OF US LATER. A
> DETAILED AGREEMENT HAS ALSO BEEN DRAWN UP BY ME WHICH
> WILL BE SENT TO YOU UPON YOUR INDICATION OF INTEREST
> TO ASSIST ME BEFORE WE PROCEED FURTHER.
>
> FINALLY, I MUST WARN THAT EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS
> TRANSACTION SHOULD BE KEPT ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENTIAL IN
> VIEW OF MY REFUGEE STATUS HERE. AGAIN, I AM NOT
> PRESENTLY ON PHONE BUT WHEN THE NEED TO CALL ME
> ARISES, I SHALL TELL YOU HOW TO REACH ME. BUT FOR NOW,
> YOU CAN ONLY REACH ME ON MY ABOVE MENTIONED EMAIL
> ADRESS. YOU CAN LET ME HAVE YOUR OWN DETAILED CONTACT
> NUMBERS SO THAT I CAN PERSONALLY CALL YOU WHERE
> NECESSARY.
>
> I ALSO WANT TO WARN YOU THAT A LOT OF SCAM EXIST HERE
> IN NIGERIA. YOU CAN GO THE NIGERIAN WEBSITE TO
> UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING. SO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT
> THEM. YOU MUST CROSS-CHECK EVERY INFORMATION WITH ME
> FIRST BEFORE DOING ANYTHING.
>
> IF MY PROPOSAL MEETS YOUR ACCEPTANCE, COULD YOU PLEASE
> CONTACT ME URGENTLY ON MY ABOVE MENTIONED EMAIL
> ADDRESS SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU FURTRHER DETAILS.
> REMEMBER THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK-FREE
> BECAUSE I AM NOT WANTED IN SIERRA LEONE FOR ANY WAR
> CRIME WHATSOEVER.
>
> I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING YOUR FAVOURABLE REPLY.
>
> SINCERE REGARDS,
>
> MR VICTOR MOUMAH.
>

>> Edited by M@H on Friday 16th August 14:59

[pbrettle]

It just cracks me up - saw the program on TV about this also. They have some people whinging about being conned out of thousands because of this scam - but the only thing that is bugging me is that this is so blatantly FRAUD that it just amazes me.... You know international money laundering is FRAUD and if you play with sharks you expect to be bitten....

So why on earth did these people think that would honestly think that they would get 25% of $30M for a few thousand? Are they totally stupid???

Oh, and that is supposed to be a rhetorical question - we all know they are thick...

Cheers,

Paul

[scruff400]

Urgent, you have been selected to recieve 100 quid, just phone this number - No sh1t!!!

Phone message just now!!!

It's my lucky day.

I can buy the Jo'burg ticket now - will one way be OK?

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

The thing is that some people actually believe these letters and send them their account details. 4 weeks later they are astonished to find their accounts have been cleaned out.

You just have to remember that there are 15 numpties born every minute with the common sense of a tub of lard. How these people procreate and have more numpties is beyond me. What are they on this planet for I wonder? Scientific experiments hopefully....

[Jinx]

My $5's in the post....

You've seen the car you want. American or Foreign. With
the low interest rates of today,it's still rather expensive
for that top of the line car you want.

How about if you could contact someone, a company, and tell
them the exact car you were looking for and they told you were,
close to you, to get it for ONLY $50 over dealer cost!
This isn't a joke!

$50 OVER DEALER COST!!!

You tell them the exact car you want and they tell you were to
pick it up!

If you want to know more:

Send $5 cash (U.S. CURRENCY) for the:

"HOW TO BUY A NEW CAR FOR $50 OVER DEALERS COST" Report.

Checks NOT accepted. Make sure the
cash is concealed by wrapping it in at least 2
sheets of paper. On one of those sheets of paper,
write the NAME of the Report you are
ordering along with YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS and your
name and postal address, just in case something happens
during mailing.

SEND TO:

R.B.
PO BOX 863
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
USA

PLACE YOUR ORDER FOR THIS REPORT TODAY!!!

"HOW TO BUY A NEW CAR FOR $50 OVER CEALERS COST"

[skittle]

A fool and his money are soon parted - just wish I could identify the fools before everyone else does.