Stupid Punts!

Stupid Punts!

Text

Examples of the "Nigerian scam" that flood my email box everyday.

Friday, December 31, 2004

WARNING!

This email is doing the rounds at the moment.

It claims to come from SouthTrust Bank; it does not, it is a scam.

Do not log into their site, and reveal your pin codes etc.

Dear Customer,

SouthTrust Bank, is committed to maintaining a safe environment for our customers. To protect the security of your account, SouthTrust Bank, employs some of the most advanced security systems in the world and our anti-fraud teams regularly screen the SouthTrust system for unusual activity.

We are contacting you to remind you that on Dec. 30, 2004 our Account Review Team identified some unusual activity in your account. In accordance with SouthTrust's User Agreement and to ensure that your account has not been compromised, access to your account was limited. Your account access will remain limited until this issue has been resolved. We encourage you to log in and perform the steps necessary to restore your account access as soon as possible. Allowing your account access to remain limited for an extended period of time may result in further limitations on the use of your account and possible account closure.Visit now Online Banking page and perform verification process: Log In to Online Banking Page


Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is a security measure meant to help protect you and your account. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,
SouthTrust Bank., Account Review Department

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

A scammer, claiming to work for Barclays bank in Ghana, wrote to me today.

He says that he has $10M in an account, that Barclays know nothing about; now really, how likely is that?

He says that he can offer me a risk free arrangement; whereby I would claim the money for myself, and split it with him.

Oh, by the way, he is a Christian..so that's alright then isn't it?

How stupid does he think I am?

This is a con, which I have reported to Barclays.

DEAR SIR, PERMIT ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. MY NAME IS DR.KOFFI ANSELEM,THE REGIONAL MANAGER OF BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA.I GOT YOUR CONTACT FROM AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CONSULTANT. THIS PROPOSAL IS COMING TO YOU IN GOOD FAITH.I AM A FORTY NINE (49) YEARS OLD, MARRIED WITH TWO LOVELY KIDS,A DEVOTED CHRISTIAN AND A MAN OF PEACE. I HAVE PACKAGED A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION THAT WILL BENEFIT YOU AND I AND THIS IS A RISK FREE TRANSACTION. WITH MY POSITION IN THE BANK AND JOB OBLIGATIONS I DISCOVERED A CERTAIN SURPLUS WHICH HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND WILL REMAIN THERE EVEN TILL THE END OF TIME. IT IS MY DUTY TO SEND IN A FINANCIAL REPORT OF OUR BRANCHES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.I DISCOVERED THAT MY BRANCH IN WHICH I AM THE MANAGER MADE TEN MILLION,SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$10,680,000.00) WHICH MY HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND WILL NEVER BE AWARE OF.I HAVE PLACED THIS FUNDS ON WHAT WE CALL ESCROW CALL ACCOUN
T WITH NO BENEFICIARY. AS AN OFFICER OF THIS BANK I CANNOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THIS MONEY, SO MY AIM OF CONTACTING YOU IS TO ASSIST ME RECEIVE THIS MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND GET 20% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AS COMMISSION. THERE ARE PRACTICALLY NO RISK INVOLVED, IT WILL BE A BANK TO BANK TRANSFER. ALL I NEED FROM YOU IS ABSOLUTE SINCERITY, TRANSPERANCY AND YOUR EXERCISING OF STRICTEST OF CONFIDENCE. I WILL PRESENT YOU AS THE BENEFICIARY TO THE DEPOSIT AND BACK IT WITH ALL THE NECESSARY PAPERS AND THE HEAD OFFICE WILL ORDER THE TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR STATED ACCOUNT. IF YOU ACCEPT TO WORK WITH ME I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. MY PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER IS . CALL ME IF YOU THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN GO OVER THE DETAILS.I WILL ALSO LIKE YOU TO CONFIRM TO ME THAT YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THE RATIO GIVEN TO YOU AS I KNOW THAT IT IS GENEROUS ENOUGH. THANKS YOU IN ADVANCE AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU.I NEED TO ASCERTAIN YOUR WIL
LINGNESS TO WORK WITH ME SO THAT SOMETHING PRACTICAL WILL COMMENCE AFTER THE THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY. SINCERELY YOURS, DR.KOFFI ANSELEM.

Monday, December 27, 2004

Now the scammers have moved on to Iraq.

I received this pile of nonsense today. It starts out by saying that it is genuine and not a hoax, at this point you know full well that it is a scam.

The writer claims to be in the US forces in Iraq. He claims that he has $18M, that was not stolen, he then proceeds to explain that he found it buried in the sand; ie, if it exists which it doesn't, then it was stolen.

The letter then follows the usual scam format; he needs help to transfer the money, keep this confidential etc etc.

Please don't be stupid enough to fall for this, it is a con.

Dear Sir,

NOT FOR THIRD PARTY (CONFIDENTIAL)
AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS
NOT A HOAX MAIL, IT IS REAL.

With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed
up courage to contact you.I am an army Sgt. from Fort Hood Tx.now
serving with the third infantry contingent mission stationedin Iraq;I
actually found your contact particulars in a business journal.

I am seeking your experience and assistance to evacuate the
sum of $18.5Million United Sates Dollars to USA or any othersafe country.
This is no stolen funds, and there are no risks involved.

SOURCE OF FUNDS:
During the third month of the raid here in Iraq, Myself and
a few other soldiers while conducting a routine search in a
location near one of Saddam.s old palaces, uncovered large
sums of money buried in barrels with piles of weapons and
ammunitions which we believed must have been part of
Saddam's hidden treasure. We agreed not to turn over the cash or
declare it to our authorities that brought us here, so we shared it
amongst ourselves, since there was noting we could do having considered
that there is no amount or kind of compensation that can make up, be
quantified,or justify the risks we have taken with our lives in this
hell hole.

I was given the sum of $18.5Million Dollars as my own
share, and had nowhere to conceal such bulk monies here,
so I had to employ the services of a contact
to me by a German colleague. The said contact facilitated
the movement of the funds to a safer location entirely
outside Iraq, it was deposited in a security vault of a
in dubai(UNITED ARAB EMIRATES) for safety purpose.

What he knows is that the funds belong to an Asian American
who died in the war, and trusted me to turn in the money
to his family. One passionate appeal I will make to you
is not to discuss this matter with any third party, should
you have reasons to reject this offer, please destroy this
mail, as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us. I do
not know for how long we will remain here, and I have survived two
suicide bomb attacks by the grace of God.

It may be difficult for us to communicate frequently for
security reasons, so as soon as I am sure you are willing
to help, I will link you up with the contact and close
confidant who will work with you to get the money into
your care. On your immediate correspondence with the
contact which I will introduce to you, he will need to
release to you the document and secret code in which the
funds was safeguarded with so you can proceed for claim
and collection, but only when he has ascertained your
seriousness and totality to commit your time in seeing
to the success of this. We will also discuss your
percentage when it is convenient to do so but the
first thing is for you to get hold of the funds first.

In the meantime, please contact me through
my private email address: ()

Respectfully,
Billy.

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Some scams are more plausible than others.

It is fair to say that this one is not at all plausible.

The scammer, an improbably named Mr Comfort Allen, writes to me from the Ministry of Finance of an unnamed country.

He talks about my claim for a fund, I have never made any claim.

He then asks me to reconfirm my email and fax details, which of course were never sent to him in the first place.

He then asks me to send a "promissory" note, assuring him that I will give him some money.

All in all, highly unconvincing!

ATTEN:

I am a director with the Federal Ministry of Finance and was instructed
by the Hon Minister of Finance to find out before the end of this month,
WHY your contract/ claim of your fund have not been credited to your account,
after instructions has been passed to all various Government quarters that
all over due contract/ claim payments should be released as a lot of petitions
by beneficiary's has been received by the Minister.

what this office want you to reconfirm, with your telephone and fax numbers,
any other information, WHY you have not received your payment up-till date?.
However I will give
my assistance to make sure your file is in order for payment as two people
came for the claim of the fund and submitted account saying that you are
not well.

but you must give me a promissory note stating your willingness to give
me a reasonable amount of money from your contract payment immediately you
get the payment.

Regards,

Mrs. Comfort Allen
(Deputy Director Federal Ministry of Finance)
Note: Forward your replies to this alternative email address:

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Another con, only 10 conning days left until Christmas.

This one claims that I have won $2.5M in the British Lottery.

Absolute nonsense!

Don't be fooled by these scumbags, there is no money; it is just a con designed to steal your identity and/or money from your bank account.

BRITISH LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS:
CUSTOMER SERVICE,
*******************************************
28 TANFIELD ROAD,
CROYDON. LONDON
*******************************************
Ref: KPC/9080118308/02/TCA
Batch: 12/25/0034

ATTN: WINNING NOTIFICATION

We happily announce to you the draw of the British Lottery
International programs held on the 25th of November, 2004 in London. Your e-mail
address attached to ticket number: 564 75600545 188 with Serial number
5388/02 drew the lucky numbers: 31-6-26-13-35-7, which subsequently won
you the lottery in the 2nd category. You have therefore been approved to
claim a total sum of US$2,500,000.00
(Two million, Five hundred thousand, United States Dollars) in cash
credited to file KPC/9080118308/02/TCA. This is from a total cash prize of
US $125 Million dollars shared amongst the first fifty (50) lucky
winners in this category.

This year Lottery Program Jackpot is the largest ever for British
Lottery. The estimated $125 million jackpot would be the sixth-biggest in
U.K. history. The biggest was the $363 million jackpot that went to two
winners in a May 2000 drawing of The Big Game Mega Millions'
predecessor.

Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European
booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in our play coupon.
In view of this, your US$2,500,000.00 (Two million, Five hundred
thousand, United States Dollars) would be released to you physically by our
affiliate Bank. Our agent will immediately commence the process to
facilitate the release of your funds to you as soon as you make contact with
him.

All participants were selected randomly from 'World Wide Web' site
through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies.
This promotion takes place annually. For security reasons, you are advised
to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is
processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to
claim your prize. This is a part of our precautionary measure to avoid
double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some
unscrupulous elements.

Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact our fiduciary
agent with the below details for processing of your claims.
**************************************************
Name: Mr.Frank Anderson.
E-mail:
Foreign Services Manager, Payment and Release order Department,
TRANS-ATLANTIC S.A LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
**************************************************
Note that all claims process and clearance procedures must be duly
completed early to avoid impersonation arising to the issue of double
claim.

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your
reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated
agent. Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this
program.

Yours faithfully,

Smith Carpenter.
AFRO-ASIAN Zonal Coordinator.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

I received this email today, from some idiot claiming to work for the Bank of Nigeria.

He says that despite never having met me, or knowing anything about me, he is happy to transfer $15M into my bank.

Now please, think about this for a minute; does this not seem to be a slightly odd thing to do?

He claims the money belonged to a dead person, and he wants me to pretend to be the next of kin.

In other words, he is asking me to commit fraud.

Let us be clear, there is no money.

Those people that fall for this scam are incredibly stupid, dishonest and greedy.

I trust that you do not fall into this category!

From: Mr Foster Uche
Senior Manager:Bills and Exchange
Inland Bank of Nigeria
Lagos Branch
E-mail

Dear Friend,
How are you today and how is your family,i hope you are

all fine,if so thanks be to God.

I am pleased to get across to you for a very urgent and

profitable business proposal, though I don't know you

neither have I seen you before but my confidence was

reposed on you when i saw the name of your company and

contacts through a bussiness jornal ,i confidentialy write to

you for a bussiness relationship with you.

I am the senior manager of Bills and Exchange Inland Bank

of Nigeria. The intended business is thus; We had a

customer, a Foreign resident in Nigeria,by name

Mr.Thompson Thorn, he was a Contractor with

Chevron/Texaco Nigeria limited .He has in his Account in

my branch the sum of US $15 Million(Fifteen Million

Dollars).Unfortunately, the man died with his families few

years ago in a bomb explossion in ikeja part of lagos sate in

Nigeria ,and until today non-of his next of kin has come

forward to claim the money.

Having noticed this,and with the understanding of my

soonest retirement from the banking industry ,I decided to

do business with you and release the money
to you as the next of kin to Mr. Thompson Thorn for
safety and subsequent disbursement.

I personally do not want this fund to be transferred
into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill. That is why
I wanted the funds to be moved out of the bank before I
proceed on my retirement from the banking services by
next year. The need for a foreigner as next of kin in
this project is occasioned by the fact that the
customer Mr. Thompson Thorn was a foreigner and a
Nigerian cannot stand as his next of kin or heir.

As soon as this message comes to you kindly get back to me

indicating your interest, then I will furnish you with the

whole procedures to ensure that the deal is successfully

concluded. For your assistance i have agreed to give you

(30%) of the Total sum at the end of the transaction,

thereafter I will visit you over there in your country for

disbursement according to the percentages indicated.

To enable the immediate transfer of the
funds into your nominated bank account, you will first apply
to the bank as the next of kin of the deceased,
indicating your bank account number and location
wherein the money will be remitted. Upon receipt of
your acknowledgement indicating your interest, I will
send to you the text of the application that you will
send to the Inland Bank Nigeria plc authority for an
approval to submit your claims.

Send your reply through my email and indicate your
interest to this bussiness so that we can proceed with actions
to get the funds transfered to your bank account over there in

your country .

If you are interested ,send immediately to me your full

contact
details for effective communication that this transaction

needs.


send to me Your
________________

1-----DIRECT FAX NUMBER
2-----MOBILE NUMBER
3-----OFFICE TELEPHONE NUMBERS

SEND TO ME YOUR REPLY OF INTEREST TO MY

E-MAIL AS BELLOW OR AS ABOVE
_____________________________________________

E-mail

Looking forward to urgently hearing from you .

Yours Faithfully,

Foster Uche.
E-mail

Monday, December 13, 2004

How nice, I have won another lottery!

This time I have won the princely sum of $500K; very convenient, as Christmas is fast approaching.

Unfortunately this is a scam, there is no lottery and no money.

Don't fall for this tired old trick, you will be sorry if you do.

254 EGASTRAAT,
354tz
AMSTERDAM,
NETHERLAND.
WROM: TTZRCLBDXRQBGJSNBOHMKHJYFMYXOEAIJ
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT,
SCFN: GWK/5333/025648/03UAD.
BATCH: 241/2002/BLL.
ATTN: CEO,
We are pleased to inform you of the release today
the 11th december 2004 of the CONTINENT SOFTWARE
INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY/PROMOTIONS, netherland held on
the 19th september 2004. your company/individual name
attached to the ticket numbers 1001-58255563-2285
with serial number 8888/03 drew from the lucky numbers
02-22-00-66-99-85-52-12-36-50, which consequently
won the lottery in the FIRST category. You have
therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US500,000.00) in
cash credited to security file number
GWK/5333/025648/03UAD.This is from a total cash
prize of US$20 million share among ten individuals and Six
international companies lucky winners in this
category.
CONGRATULATIONS.
Your funds is now deposited with our Payment/Finance
Department in the security company to your name ,Due
to the mixed up of some numbers and names, we ask
that you keep this winning a top secret from the public
notice until your claims has been processed and
remitted to your account as this is apart of the
security protocol, to avoid double claiming or
unwarranted taking advantage of this program by
participants.
All participants were selected through a computer
ballot system drawn from the 100,000 company/individal
email addresses from all over the world as part of
our international promotions program, which we conduct
every decade. We hope with a part of your winnings ,you
will take part in our next end of year stake us$20million
international lottery.
TO begin your claims, please contact your claim
agent in (Lottery payment centre), MR.robinson williams(Director of
operations).
TEL..
email()
For processing and remittance of your cash to a designated account of
your choice. remember,all winnings must be claim not
later than 15th december 2004, After this date,All unclaims funds will be
returned to the promotion company.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please
remember to quote your security credicted file
number and batch numbers and also with your telephone and fax numbers
respectively in every correspondence with your claim agent. Furthermore,
should there be any change of your address, do inform your claim
agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once again from all members of our
staff and thank you for being part of our promotions
program and publication.
Yours sincerely,
MR. KENNETH GRAM.
(promotion manager).

Sunday, December 05, 2004

This amusing little missive arrived in my email box today.

The writer claims to be in the Nigerian military; and claims that he has a couple of boxes with a "huge sum of money" in them, around $34M.

He explains that the reputation of Nigeria has been "dented" by the infection of fraudsters etc; he needless to say assures me that he is not one.

The business will be of immense interest to me and him. He says that his boss has sent him a "massage", asking for him to arrange for a quick investment of the money.

Sorry old son, try some other "mug".

FROM:IBRAHIM IDRIS
Email: ,

I know you will be surprised to read from me, a stranger and in this regard
but please understand that I desperately solicit for your experience on
your profession as the key Account Manager, Banking & Financial Services
Topcall UK Limited, to bring to success this important business that is
definitely going to be of immense interest to you and me.

I got your contact through the business section of your Embassy in Lagos
Nigeria (Topcall UK Limited) I am also aware that the World business trust
of these days has been dented much by the activities of some unscrupulous
elements that undertake on several fraudulent activities of which my country
is highly infected. This circumstance has dampened my courage to do this
mail to you for fear that my request might be branded as such.

May I give you for now, only a vivid explanation of what these is all about
with the hope that you will be willing to go ahead with me in this proposal
and thereby be furnished with all details subsequently. I am myself still
a Soldier in the Nigerian Military. I worked directly under the CSO (Major.Aliu
Mustafar) to our Former Dead Head of State (Gen. Sani Abacha). My direct
Boss, the Chief Security Officer (CSO), has been under detention since this
present Government of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

I have kept in my hometown, for my direct boss, since our days together
in the Government house and immediately after the death of the Head of State
a consignment in two trunk boxes containing a very huge sum of money, cash
in American Dollars.

Last week my boss sent a massage to me, giving me the contact of his old
friend, now a diplomat. He wants me to arrange quickly for someone in the
UK to receive and invest this money for us. I am expected to give this
consignment to the diplomat in Lagos and he will deliver same consignment to our person
in the UK.

Should you be willing, you will be offered a percentage (As may be agreed
between us) of the entire sum as your partake and you will invest and manage
ours for us. To guide your decision, the entire sum is US $34M.

I hope you will except to undertake in this transaction with me, I look
forward to your reply mail as soon as possible since this has to be undertaking
also, as soon as we can reach an agreement, with regard to the diplomats
schedule.



Thanks

Ibrahim Idris