Email Scam

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:57 am

I can't believe I actually got this email this morning. Does this scam actually work??

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MR.LARRY JOHNSON

NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION(NNPC)

NNPC

TOWERS IKOYI LAGOS,

LAGOS NIGERIA.

234 805 407 1442

Good day,

I am a

senior audit accountant with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in

Nigeria.I am in search of an agent to assist us in the transfer of

US$27M (Twenty seven million United States Dollars)and subsequent

investment in stocks in your country or anywhere in Europe.

You will

be required to:

(1) Assist in the transfer of the said sum

(2) Advise

on lucrative areas for investment

(3) Assist us in purchase of

properties.

If you decide to render your service to us in this regard,

20% of the

total sum will be offerred to you,10% will be set aside for

any expences encountered during the transfer.

Pls, quickly get back to

me.

Best regards,

MR.LARRY JOHNSON

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:03 am

That's nearly as bad as getting the phone call saying 'you have just won a huge jackpot prize, congratulations." And for what exactly did I do to deserve this great holiday around the world huh?? Lame if you ask me, but sadly so many people buy it.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:13 am

The old Nigeria scam in all its creative forms has been around now for yonks. And people do still fall for it. There was a case here where I live fairly recently where an elderly couple had their savings liberated in this way. It's hard to see how anyone can be that gullible?? Greed?? Stupidity???

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:14 am

Yeah, that's a very big scam lately. I get alot of junk like that on my e-mail, and I want to know, how did their get my e-mail address in the first place?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:26 am

I get tons of spam, but hotmail usually catches them and shunts them to the junk mail folder. Lately, though, I've started getting a few every day that's made it through their filters. I guess it's time they upgrade.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:28 am

I get these through my school e-mail, and they have strict filters for spam, but it needs an upgrade too. I've been getting lots of junk like this lately.

DayDreamer · Post by **DayDreamer** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:03 am

AussiePam wrote: The old Nigeria scam in all its creative forms has been around now for yonks. And people do still fall for it. There was a case here where I live fairly recently where an elderly couple had their savings liberated in this way. It's hard to see how anyone can be that gullible?? Greed?? Stupidity???

It is the vunerable that these scammers pry on.

An elderly couple would believe that they are securing a happy retirement.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:05 am

Nothing is more expensive than 'free'

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:07 am

These scammers always seem to target the elderly a lot don't they. You always see these con-artists go after them, because they know that they are easy targets. I remember seeing one story about a lady who got con-ned into forking out thousands of pounds over years to some guy, and it was only her daughter who caught onto this and managed to stop it carrying on, but the financial damage had already sadly been done.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:12 am

chrisb84uk wrote: These scammers always seem to target the elderly a lot don't they. You always see these con-artists go after them, because they know that they are easy targets. I remember seeing one story about a lady who got con-ned into forking out thousands of pounds over years to some guy, and it was only her daughter who caught onto this and managed to stop it carrying on, but the financial damage had already sadly been done.
You callin' me elderly, young'un?? :yh_frustr I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:16 am

Accountable wrote: You callin' me elderly, young'un?? :yh_frustr I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

Me!!?? I wouldn't think of doing such a thing.

BabyRider · Post by **BabyRider** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:18 am

Accountable wrote: You callin' me elderly, young'un?? :yh_frustr I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

Simmer down there, Toby. :yh_bigsmi

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:42 am

tmbsgrl wrote: My gram got something in the mail about life insurance and the cost of a funeral about 7 years back.. She has been sending them 75.00 a month for the last 7 or 8 years. She called to see how much she had in her "account" they told her 2,500 dollars.. She should have way more than that. They are supposed to stop when she reaches like 5000.00 or something like that. She called us all upset because they are ripping her off! My aunt is the one that signed her up for this.. These people have been taking advantage of her for all these years.. I feel so bad for her because she has lost all that money!

That's one hell of an administration fee - the account should be around $6,500 by now.

Can the Trading Standards do anything about it?

At the very least it should be publicised to stop others falling into the trap.

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:45 am

tmbsgrl wrote: My gram got something in the mail about life insurance and the cost of a funeral about 7 years back.. She has been sending them 75.00 a month for the last 7 or 8 years. She called to see how much she had in her "account" they told her 2,500 dollars.. She should have way more than that. They are supposed to stop when she reaches like 5000.00 or something like that. She called us all upset because they are ripping her off! My aunt is the one that signed her up for this.. These people have been taking advantage of her for all these years.. I feel so bad for her because she has lost all that money!

Oh I'm really sorry to hear about this, it must have been such a shock for you and I can only imagine how she must have felt being tricked like that. Sadly some elderly people just don't recognise the traps they are getting into, and when they find out, they can get into a right state, which is something that they certainly should not end up in.

Celtic Thunder · Post by **Celtic Thunder** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:38 am

tmbsgrl wrote: Yep when she called a few days ago to let me know about it she was all upset and it sounded like she was crying. I told her that she is way past 5000.00! And that she shouldn't be paying for that anymore! I told her how much she should have in there & she was even more upset! I called my aunt that set this up and told her what my gram had called to tell me-I told her that she really needs to call these people to talk to them to find out where her money went! She does need to speak out so noone else will fall for this scam. I'll get the name of the company that she has been sending her money too. I told her she needs to see a lawyer!

You must get this sorted.

These people are the scum of the earth.

Celtic Thunder · Post by **Celtic Thunder** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:43 am

DayDreamer wrote: It is the vunerable that these scammers pry on.

An elderly couple would believe that they are securing a happy retirement.

Daydreamer

You are right, a lifetime of happiness tarnished due to some greedy thieving son of a bitch has no scrupples

cherandbuster · Post by **cherandbuster** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:49 am

Accountable wrote: Nothing is more expensive than 'free'

Well said, Acc, well said.:rolleyes:

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:49 am

That's why these tv shows that uncover these scams are so good, and yet sadly become more commom place on our screens am I finding. Thankfully people will go undercover to flush out these horrid people, and make them show their true colours.

Celtic Thunder · Post by **Celtic Thunder** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:11 am

chrisb84uk wrote: That's why these tv shows that uncover these scams are so good, and yet sadly become more commom place on our screens am I finding. Thankfully people will go undercover to flush out these horrid people, and make them show their true colours.

Chris

Theses programs only send the scammers deeper underground.

They cover their tracks by being based outside the UK.

chrisb84uk · Post by **chrisb84uk** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:18 am

That's true Celtic, but hopefully by at least broadcasting the kinds of tactics that these people use, and the dangers involved, people who may have initially fell for something, will take heed and will not fall into any danger. But you are right, these programs are unlikely to stop these con-artists from stopping, just moving country or changing tactic.

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:30 am

I have lost count of the number of times I have gotten that one!! The sad thing is that people do respond to it.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:02 pm

That's the Nigeria scam, helfra. It's a classic. (Goes back at least 10 years and these days mostly doesn't mention Nigeria at all).

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Sat Jul 08, 2006 9:08 pm

SCAMORAMA.com is a site dedicated to some very clever fellows who've spent a lot of time scamming the Nigerian scammers.

You really must read some of the things they've gotten the scammers to do as they become more and more convinced they have a victim.

There're hundreds of funny letters on the site...check it out.