The Top Five E-Mail Scams (4)
Scam #4: Nigerian Letter Scam
The Come-On
The "419 letter," named for the Nigerian penal code that addresses crime schemes, shows up as an e-mail from someone looking for your help in a seemingly desperate yet worthy cause, usually someone looking to give money away in his or her final days. An excerpt from a particularly desperate one follows:
The Scam
In exchange for your personal information like bank accounts and routing numbers, the sender promises a large lump sum for your help. You never get the money, of course, and the e-mail sender is across the world impersonating you, creating an alternate version of you with credit cards and bank accounts until your credit goes so bad that you will spend years trying to fix it.
You will even often get official-looking documents to get you to pony up for shipping and documentation fees, making the whole thing look legitimate.
What You Can Do
Carols says: "Free money from Nigeria offered in an e-mail from a princess in distress or a diplomatic prisoner? Fat chance. These scams have been plaguing consumers for years, with variations on the dramatic set-up, but the bottom line is the same: Getting involved with these scams can be more than just a waste of your time. They can also be dangerous and life-threatening."
For more information, 419eater.com has a great FAQ that even documents some of the cases as well as some citizens fighting back against the scammers. Warning: Some of these accounts are for mature audiences only.
The Come-On
The "419 letter," named for the Nigerian penal code that addresses crime schemes, shows up as an e-mail from someone looking for your help in a seemingly desperate yet worthy cause, usually someone looking to give money away in his or her final days. An excerpt from a particularly desperate one follows:
"...before my late husband died he was a major oil tycoon,and deposited the sum of 25 million dollars ( Twenty five million dollars) in one of the Spanish bank in Madrid,Spain. some years ago,thats all i have left now,i need you to collect this funds and distribute it according to the God wishes and for charity . so that when i die my soul can rest in peace.the funds will be entirely in hands and management. i hope God gives you the wisdom to touch very many lives,that is my main concern. 20% of this money will be for your time and effort,while 80% goes to charity. So if you know you can assist me then forward to me immediately the following informations.
1) NAMES AND ADDRESS
2) PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
3) YOUR NATIONALITY
4) OCCUPATION
5) AGE and your Marital Startus.
Please reply back to me on this email: jennydiaz@mail.vu."
The Scam
In exchange for your personal information like bank accounts and routing numbers, the sender promises a large lump sum for your help. You never get the money, of course, and the e-mail sender is across the world impersonating you, creating an alternate version of you with credit cards and bank accounts until your credit goes so bad that you will spend years trying to fix it.
You will even often get official-looking documents to get you to pony up for shipping and documentation fees, making the whole thing look legitimate.
What You Can Do
Carols says: "Free money from Nigeria offered in an e-mail from a princess in distress or a diplomatic prisoner? Fat chance. These scams have been plaguing consumers for years, with variations on the dramatic set-up, but the bottom line is the same: Getting involved with these scams can be more than just a waste of your time. They can also be dangerous and life-threatening."
For more information, 419eater.com has a great FAQ that even documents some of the cases as well as some citizens fighting back against the scammers. Warning: Some of these accounts are for mature audiences only.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Paul @ Apr 26th 2007 6:51AM
I received (scam) 4 AAA-Visa Traveller's Checks in the mail worth $500 each. They were obviously counterfeit (a very good copy however). I want to reveal the source, info, e-mails received, etc. but the Visa fraud dept. in London will only deal with banks or businesses.....not a person. I explained that all I was doing was trying to be a good citizen and help.....to no avail. I received them via UPS from a legitimate business in Washington state but a phony UPS account. The business told me that 5 others had received these and he had alerted the FBI, UPS. etc.. I traced the source to just outside Milwaukee but DO NOT know where or to whom to make my info available. PLEASE advise me as to the proper authority or agency for this??
Thankyou.
Mike @ Apr 26th 2007 7:20AM
Interesting,
The advance checks, or in this case, Visa Travel Checks is the latest twist on an old scam which induces people to give up personal and bank information, only to be led to a point where a fee is requested to release funds to victim. Now they send out legitimate looking checks in advance, relying on the trust factor to complete the scam.
Simply put, if you ever receive any check from an unknown entity, or in this case Visa Travel Checks, forget it, it is guaranteed to be a fraud and you will always lose money, as well as time depositing checks at your bank, never mind the bank putting a hold on your account when discovered.
These scammers are very clever. With check printing software so precise, anyone can generate fake checks which look legitimate. What they change is the routing number which delays the checks clearing, which usually gives theives enough time to complete the sting. These scams are designed to let you see that check supposedly clears your bank, then they request the 10% fee be sent via Western Union if they have not gone for your bank account information, so beware of both scams. Best rule of thumb, never use Western Union for all scammers use them exclusively, while very few legitimate businesses will ever use Western Union, I know I never have.
www.Iragi-Investments.com
kim @ Apr 26th 2007 7:26AM
i also rec'd something similiar to this one last week, that someone died in flight 801 here on LI, ok, I live on LI and know of no one on that flight...they went on to say someone with the same surname left me MILLIONS...whoppee..i replied to these people from the UK...gave them no personal info and asked for the surname, played really stupid, how i needed the $ & who was the person, i haven't heard back from the yet!!!mmmmmmmmmm makes ya wonder
RogersQuarterHorses @ Apr 26th 2007 7:47AM
We have twice received checks in the mail on an actual bank in Texas. One was for $8,000 and the other was for $5,000. The first one, we actually talked to a guy that was supposedly from the UK. We were supposed to keep $5,000 of it and give $3,000 to a shipper that was coming to pick up a horse. The other check just showed up in our mailbox with no explanation. We called the bank on both of them and they were both bogus. The first one we were able to get names and email addresses and report them. I don't know if anything ever came of it though. This is a common scam among the horse world. Always be leery of a good thing. It is really sad that we have to be so suspicious of everyone.
chuck29154 @ Apr 26th 2007 8:11AM
I have received dozens of this particular email scam. I have another one that is similar that I get often under my hotmail account. It states that I am the only heir to millions left after a relative died over seas and they have to send the money to me. They go as far as to state that they are lawyers and all that. I keep putting it in the spam file and reporting them. That does not stop them. They change emails and start all over again. They keep repeating " I really need for you to claim this money". Any advice on how to stop them once and for all?
starlingj4 @ Apr 26th 2007 8:22AM
My husband and I got scammed by this one day we got four money orders in the mail needless to say they looked real, but they were fraudulant. They(scammers) told us that our my husbands long long lost uncle died in a car wreck. This is the most common scam out their. We have reported them but not sure what come out of the matter. They still to this day try to contact us.
Glenn @ Apr 26th 2007 8:37AM
Yes, this scam is even better now. These Nigerians offer checks or money orders via fed Ex. These checks are sent in large denominations and tell you to cash them, keep the 10% and send back the rest of the money ASAP. It is a total bamboozle.
Keith @ Apr 26th 2007 9:19AM
If anyone has ever gotten traveler's checks, the procedure is to countersign in the presence of the bank teller WHEN you got them. Some scams (a Textile company based in England)have your name on the check and then send you info as to the amount to send where. Rule of thumb: Keywords such as GOD, JESUS, LORD and places like LAGOS and ANYTHING in NIGERIA is a sure fire sign it is not real. Protect yourselves. If you try to pass a counterfeit travelers check, you WILL be arrested and charged, no matter what excuse you give.. Also, if you are sent a link, move your mouse over the link to see where the link will take you..PAYPAL info scam comes as innocent mail from a paypal account (how they do that blows my mind) but the link goes to a lookalike site and asks for personal information... REFRAIN from clicking that.. BE careful and remember, you aren't going to make easy money on the internet unless you own YOU TUBE, YAHOO or GOOGLE..
Lisa T @ Apr 26th 2007 9:33AM
If everyone could just remember one, single piece of advice... probably the best I had ever heard... and I think it was Ralph Nader who said it on his TV show years ago - folks: "IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!!!"
Words to live by.
Evelyn @ Apr 26th 2007 9:41AM
Single ladies on dating sites, BEWARE! The guy(s) will sweet talk you, add a sob story, they are now ready to settle down and will marry you as soon as they get back from Nigeria. They need money because they can't cash checks or use credit cards. Then they need money because they couldn't get on the scheduled flight. Then they need more for another reason. It all adds up. I have reported Abbey_johnson60/Abeey_Johnson60 to the national fraud info center. Don't know the results.
Al @ Apr 26th 2007 9:56AM
Two things amaze me: 1) That people must actually be falling for these 419 scams, otherwise the scammers wouldn't be trying, and 2) the fact that I receive several of these a week at work. I work for the government, in law enforcement, and anyone seeing my business e-mail address would realize this.
Pokerstars @ Apr 26th 2007 9:58AM
ARE you people stupid , anyone who falls for one of these scams deserves it .
NO on gives you anything for nothing . And the number 1 rule of the internet world . as soon as you see the word FREE or the word MONEY run the other way
Dev @ Apr 26th 2007 9:58AM
I get letters from the Nigerians and others.
I always mail them back a picture of a big ass and tell them to send the money to me immediately or I'll hunt them down and kill them.
They never write back.
Jackie @ Apr 26th 2007 9:59AM
I used to received these Nigera e-mails daily. The first one I received was right after the 9-11 and I was unemployed, almost fell for it. I ran down to my bank and closed my account. Then I contacted the jerk and told him he was no more a Dr than I was and I reported him to the authorities. I was 2 steps ahead of him, needless to say, I never heard from Dr Oboni again...
Pam @ Apr 26th 2007 10:01AM
When i get an e-mail like this, I reply to the person's e-mail supplied addressing him as his name with the attached last name of Crappe and this message:
Name: Catima Mahima Buttola
Address: 4239 U Suka Blvd.
New Jerkey, Tx. 12345
phone number: unlisted
fax # - send me yours and I'll send you mine.
Note to Mr. Peter Solomon Crappe
Dog Bless you in the name of the attourney general of these here united states.
Can't wait to see your blessed face in a court room somewhere in the near future.
from: Catima
Do not meddle in gypsies affairs, for you are crispy and good with ketchup!
sue @ Apr 26th 2007 10:01AM
I had a scam recently, from Ghanda. I lead they guy on till I could get as much info as possible.
Then he wanted my phone number so I gave him the local FBI and told him to call after business ws open.I havent heard from him since. I gotta good chuckle every time I signed my e mail Eileen Dover..............
Jackie @ Apr 26th 2007 10:03AM
Sorry about my mis-spelling. I was in a hurry.
use, receive and Nigeria
StressedInMich @ Apr 26th 2007 10:09AM
The fake emails from ebay, if you look at the reply to addy it is a .con instead of .com Im not sure if paypal is the same. Either way if you get something saying your account is being closed, you have illegal activity, or anything like that, forward it to spoof@ebay.com or Spoof@paypal.com within minutes you will get a reply from ebay telling you if its legit! Bottom line is these fakes are making a killing off of people, be careful!
Laura @ Apr 26th 2007 10:12AM
Another scam is a Nigerian diplomat who emailed me when I was selling my home. He claimed he was coming to the United States to live and would pay me any amount I wanted for my house.
So if you get this one just delete it
Mechelle Bryant @ Apr 26th 2007 10:13AM
I had someone reply to a on line ad in the newspaper wanting me to ship them one of the puppies I had for sale. They Fed Ex three money-o-grams and wanted me to take my money and send the rest to her shipping agent in Nigeria so he could come and get the puppy and bring it to her. The moneyograms looked real... but I talked to a detective and he said anything going into Nigeria was fake. If I had done this the moneyograms would have come back on me and I'd be out the $$$. I'm so glad that I didn't get taken.