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A NEW NIGERIAN SCAM UNFOLDS If you've had your own e-mail address longer than about a month, chances are that you've received an e-mail (or a thousand e-mails) from a doctor, dignitary, business person or someone else (usually from Nigeria) who wants to escape from their country and needs your help to transfer millions of dollars. They found your name from a "trusted source" and know you to be an honest individual, and for your assistance, they will gladly pay you a large percentage (10-45%) of their fortune. If you're gullible enough to offer your help (or if you've decided to play along), they'll tell you that they need an advance fee because they've run out of cash to cover the costs of a certificate of deposit, affidavit fee, etc. Well, just about everyone on the planet knows about the 4-1-9 scam (named after the section of the Nigerian penal code that prohibits it), and the Nigerian con artists are adapting. Yep, they've got a new scam! Most people don't know about this one because it's only sent to businesses. About two years ago, Bath-and-Body.com received its first e-mail request for a large number of one of our products to be shipped to Lagos, Nigeria. I deleted the e-mail right away because we don't ship internationally, and I was very familiar with the 4-1-9 scam. I deleted the e-mail, and I deleted those that followed once every month or so, but we've been receiving them at least once a week recently. I once read a website from a guy who pretended to fall for the 4-1-9 scam in a hilarious exchange of e-mails and decided to try the same thing with my new Nigerian customers. Here's an example of some of the e-mails we received from Nigerian-based "companies"... |
| Name:
serah Email: serahut@yahoo.com Comments: HI SALES I AM SERAH JOHNSON A PERSON THAT OWNS A STORE IN NIGERIA, I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND I SAW THE KIND OF GOODS HAVE IN STORE,PRESENTLY AM IN OUT LONDON, DUBLIN AND I WILL BE BACK IN NEXT WEEK AND I WILL LIKE GOODS TO SHIPPED TO STORE IN NIGERIA THIS IS THE ITEMS BELOW AND GET BACK TO ME WITH YOUR PRODUCT LIST. Green Apple Handmade Soap ......................50pcs Citrus Handmade Soap ....................50pcs AND SHIPPING CHARGES TO [UPS 3 TO 5 DAYS] SO HERE WAITING TO READ FROM YOU AS SOON AS YOU GET MY MESSAGE SO AS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION REGARD SERAH JOHNSON |
| Here's another... |
| Name: kelvin ronny Email: krstoreintl@yahoo.co.uk Comments: >>HELLO, |
| One more... |
| Name:
Clement Cole Email: clementstores@uymail.com How Did You Find Us: trough internet search Comments: HELLO THIS IS A NIGERIAN STORES,WE ARE SPECIALISED IN COSMENTICS SO WE WILL WANT TO KNOW IF YOU CAN SHIP TO US DOWN HERE IN NIGERIA,ALL OUR PAYMENTS ARE MADE WITH CREDI CARDS AND BANK DRAFTS AND WE MAKE USE OF UPS AS OUR COURIER WITH 3-5 DAYS DELIEVERY.PLEASE AS SOON AS YOU READ OUR MAIL LETS US KNOW YOUR OPINION ABOUT OUR COMPANY. THANKS PURCHASE CENTER CLEMENT STORES INTERNATIONAL 27 IGO-OWU STREET, MUSHIN, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA(23401) |
Just from these three examples, it's
easy to notice what these e-mails have in common.
My first response to one of these e-mails was "Let us guess... Your method of payment is stolen credit card, right?" Not surprisingly, I didn't get a response. Not knowing exactly what these Nigerian con artists were up to, I responded to Samson with an e-mail that he was sure to recognize. E-mails from Nigerian con artists are in light-blue boxes, and my responses are in light-green boxes. |
| From: samson david <samsung4real@fastermail.com> Sent: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 01:52:18 +0800 Subject: order enquiry dear customer service, i am interested in a product which i will like to buy from your store(Large Gift Set )lavender(........8pieces ). kindly reply me the total cost with the cost of shipment to lagos, WEST AFRICA.my mode of payment is credit card.I look forward to hear from you soon. regards. SAMSON OLUWAYEMI -- _______________________________________________ Get your free email from http://fastermail.com |
| From: Bath-and-Body.com <info@bath-and-body.com> Sent: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 17:04:34 -0700 Subject: RE: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form Hello Samson, Glory be to god that someone from Nigeria has contacted me with good intent. As coincidence would have it, my husband recently passed away, leaving $40 million dollars (US) which I must find a way to sneak out of the country as he acquired the money by way of embezzlement against a large US company. As I plan to flee to Nigeria soon with my family, I am in search of an honest person to work with and have agreed to share the money in the following percentages, 70% will be for us who will effect the transfer and 30% will be for you whose account is used to secure the funds. There is no risk involvement because our Bank of John Wayne will be officially empowered to wire the funds to your account by telegraphic transfer. If you are interested, contact me by Email through sally@bath-and-body.com indicating your full names or company name and address, your direct telephone and fax numbers, the name and address of the bank you will like us to deposit the money, the telephone and fax numbers of the bank, your account number etc. Everything has been arranged and I will send more information about the business transaction to you as soon as I hear from you. For obvious reasons, please keep the proposal top secret and highly confidential. Kind regards, Sally |
| Yep, Samson recognized the response and disappeared. It was clear that the only way to get a response would be to play into the scam by acting interested. It didn't take very long before I got my first chance. |
| Name: Daniel Email: danielcole@fastermail.com How Did You Find Us: from a Friend Comments: Good day, I am Doctor Daniel of Columbia Hospital,here in Nigeria,while i will like to get some bath soaps for the new plaza in which the Hospital wants it to be in Existence. The soaps are expected to be Dental treatment bath soaps pls. I want you to tell me the cost of the soaps and also note that you are to ship them to Nigeria while the hospital has prepared the payment with International card(Credit card). I look forward to hear from you. Regards. Dr Daniel |
| From: "Bath-and-Body.com"
<info@bath-and-body.com> To: "Daniel" <danielcole@fastermail.com> Subject: RE: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form Hello Dr Daniel, Please send us the following information: - the number of soaps you would like - the fragrances you would like (see our website for a list) - the address to which you would like us to ship your order Once we receive the information, we will provide you with a quote. Thank you, Bath-and-Body.com |
| From: daniel cole <danielcole@fastermail.com> Subject: RE: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form Hello, Thanks for the mail.This are the number and names in which you requested for below. 1>Wild Berry Handmade Soap measures approximately 3-1/2" x 2-3/4" x 1" thick.qty 10 2>Soap Set Citrus qty 10 3>Green Apple Body Lotion qty 10 4>Sugar Plum Body Lotion qty 5 5>Sugar Plum Body Spray qty 5. This are the items in which we need from you for now while i want you to tell us the total cost of all both with the shipping to the address below: 3,Alabe Street, Isolo, Lagos,Nigeria.23401. I want to know the method of payment in which you operate with as well and also i want to tell you as well that we are in need of some equipment for our Workers in which i won't mind if you can get them for us and we will pay you for it as well with special servise payment. Expecting your mail,very urgent pls. Regards. Daniel |
| Special "servise" payment? Hmmmm.... Wonder how much? |
| From: "Bath-and-Body.com" <info@bath-and-body.com> To: "Daniel" <danielcole@fastermail.com> Subject: RE: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form Hello Daniel, |
| From: daniel cole <danielcole@fastermail.com> Sent: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 03:43:41 +0800 Subject: any of the two($500) Hello Cathleen, Thanks for the mail and also i want you to know that i am highly impress with your service and also want you to know that iam still interested. Well,two of the equipments in which we are in need of is this:a mobile phone while the maker needed is the sony ericson p800 mobile phone and a Laptop(maker Toshiba)Pentium 4 MG 64. We want you to tell me that in which you can help to get and tell me the cost as well.Also,the number of mobile phone needed is 5 in number while the laptop needed is 4 in number. We want you to send me your address and name in which the check will be addressed too if i am to pay with check or credit card.The choice is your's. While the payment for the extra servise is $500,that i promise you,We will love to hear from you on phone as well,while my number is 234-8023684660 and i will also love to have your number un-behave of the company.Expecting to hear from you. Regards. Daniel |
| AHAAAA!!!
The scam emerges! They ask for the price of some random items that we
sell then they ask us to ship them electronics. Our fee? $500.
Notice how I claimed my name was Kathleen, and he addressed me as Cathleen? The good Doctor Daniel barely took a moment to read my e-mail. My guess is that whoever this person is, they send out hundreds of these e-mails every day. I'll admit that I started to get a little spooked because I didn't want him to get pissed off and start placing fraudulent orders with his stolen credit card through our company's website. So I sent him an e-mail from "the boss" of the company telling him that we couldn't help him and that Kathleen shouldn't have been writing to him about electronics. The next week, I was ready to do it again. On Monday, I had the following e-mail from Joke Silver waiting for me: |
| From: joke silver <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form Name: joke silver Email: jsstore2003@yahoo.com How Did You Find Us: internet Comments: Dear sales, I saw your product from one of my client (Usa),and i desired to conatct you via email,please i will like to place an order with you,also to know do ship internationally to Lagos,Nigeria along with your carrier via Fedex express or ups express. I will like to know if you do before i procced to selection of items. Please include your domain name(website) for selection of goods for quote. And the only method of payment is by CREDIT CARD (VISA,MASTER,DISCOVER).. Wish to have a business with you. miss joke silver |
| Note that she can use any type of credit card we accept, and she wants us to include our domain name in our e-mail so she can remember which company she's trying to scam. My response... |
| From: "Bath-and-Body.com" <info@bath-and-body.com> To: "joke silver" <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form Hello Miss Joke Silver, |
| From: joke silver <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form hello, |
| From: "Bath-and-Body.com" <info@bath-and-body.com> To: "joke silver" <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: Bath-and-body.com Feedback Form Although the subtotal for the products
you requested is only, $712.00, the least expensive shipping cost would
be $1,305. Consequently, we assume that you are not interested in paying
so much to have these products to you. |
| From: joke silver <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Sent: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 20:10:15 +0100 (BST) Subject: I AM OK WITHE THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST SO I NEED YOUR FAVOUR HELLO SALE, I AM OK WITH THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST.BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY COMPUTERS IN MY OFFICE,I AM BROWSING IN A PUBLIC CYBER CAFE NOW AND IT IS NOT GOOD FOR A BUSSINESMAN LIKE ME TO BE BROWSING IN A PUBLIC CYBER CAFE.SO I WILL LIKE YOU TO DO ME FAVOUR.I WILL LIKE YOU TO HELP ME TO PURCHASE SOME (TOSHIBA P4 40gb LAPTOPS ) 4QTY IN ANOTHER STORE IN YOUR COUNTRY AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE RUNNING OF $500 AND I WANT IT TO BE SHIP TOGETHER WITH MY ORDER.I WILL BE LOOKING FOR YOUR GOOD RESPONSE ASAP.GET BACK TO ME ASAP. REGARDS MISS JOKE SILVER |
Interesting! She
wants four Toshiba P4 laptops just like Doctor Daniel and will also pay
us a $500 fee. She has
problems with her computers in her office and has to surf the
Internet from an untraceable connection in a cyber cafe. Also
worth noting...
Again, I got a little spooked 'cause I was using my company's main e-mail address and tried to blow her off. |
| From: "Bath-and-Body.com" <info@bath-and-body.com> To: " joke silver" <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: Subject: I AM OK WITHE THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST SO I NEED YOUR FAVOUR The problem is that computer stores in the US will only let the owner of a credit card make a purchase. We can't just walk into a store with a credit card number and purchase four computers. Also, we can't order them online because online computer stores will only ship to the address on file with your credit card company. It just won't work. |
| From: joke silver <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Sent: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 15:23:54 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: I AM OK WITHE THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST SO I NEED YOUR FAVOUR I am pleased to see your mail.can you just buy it with your own account and i will forward you my own credit card and you will run my card into your own account for the payment of the laptop and your product. Regards, miss joke silver |
|
Hmmm.... She wants me ("Sale") to use one of the the company's credit cards to buy the notebook computers and charge the sale through our own card processing system. I decide that I'm going to pretend to "wise up" to the situation and make some additional demands. I know that asking her for a larger fee won't mean anything to her 'cause she's not spending her own money. |
| From: "Bath-and-Body.com" <info@bath-and-body.com> To: " joke silver" <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: Subject: I AM OK WITHE THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST SO I NEED YOUR FAVOUR In order to fulfill your request, we
will need the following information from you: |
| From: joke silver <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: I AM OK WITHE THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST SO I NEED YOUR FAVOUR HELLO, I AM OK WITH ALL INFORMATION YOU REQIURE FOR,SO HERE IS THE MODEL TYPE OF TOSHIBA LAPTOPS I NEED BELOW; A65-S1261 This system features Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional providing Remote Desktop Access, System Restore, and advanced security features for large networks and NTFS file encryption support. Intel® Celeron® Processor 2.80GHz Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional No Microsoft® Office software 256MB PC2700 DDR333 SDRAM 15" XGA Display (1024 x 768) ATI® Mobility Radeon® 7000 IGP w/64MB shared video memory 60GB HDD (4200 rpm) DVD/CD-RW Integrated Atheros® Wi-Fi® (802.11g) SO GET BACK TO ME WITH THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST VIA FEDEX .SO THAT I CAN FORWARD YOU ALL THE INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE FOR. SHIP TO; MISS JOKE SILVER # 2,ODUDUWA STREET MUSHIN LAGOS NIGERIA,23401 |
| Notice how she ignored my requests for documents? I'll have to ask again... |
| From: "Bath-and-Body.com" <info@bath-and-body.com> To: " joke silver" <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: Subject: I AM OK WITHE THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST SO I NEED YOUR FAVOUR The computers will cost $4256.00 for
all four plus $92.35 to have them shipped to our warehouse. We won't
know the cost to ship them to you until we receive them because we don't
know how much they weigh or how large the boxes are. |
| From: joke silver <jsstore2003@yahoo.com> Subject: RE: I AM OK WITHE THE TOTAL AND SHIPPING COST SO I NEED YOUR FAVOUR HELLO, I AM PLEASED TO SEE YOUR MAIL.I WILL LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT THE REASON I SAID YOU SHOULD GO AND GET THE LAPTOPS IS THAT MY FAXING MACHINE IS FAULTY AT THIS MOMENT.SO IF YOU NEED IT URGENTLY CAN I ATTACH TO EMAIL AND SEND IT TO YOU.SO GET BACK TO ME NOW. REGARDS MISS JOKE SILVER |
| Hmmm... Now her "faxing"
machine is faulty, too. What kind of "BUSSINESMAN"
is Joke?
Anyway, we exchanged a few more e-mails, but she wouldn't agree to send all the documents (photocopy of her credit card and identification plus a signed letter of authorization) so I blew her off. But at last I know what the hell this new Nigerian scam is all about. |
|
Hey, if
you enjoyed this even a little,
please send me an e-mail and let me know. |
