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Although there are numerous variations, some involving the purchase of what you have to sell, or the transfer of the scammers "embargoed' finds, it always centers around their sending you a Money Order or Cashier's Check, you deposit it in your bank, and then send a portion of it to another bank, and you keep the difference- usually a substantial sum (in the case below, over $3 million!). The scam? The original check is a forgery, and by the time your bank finds out it is too late. Now, you have to reimburse your bank for the original amount of the cashier's check, and you are out the amount of money you sent to the foreign bank. How serious is this? People have been killed over it. All original names and links have been X'd out below
Here is an actual Nigerian Scam letter I recently received:
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:44:02 -0500
From: MRAXXXXX
Sender: Nobody
Subject: FAVOUR
Attn.: Russian Investment Opportunity.
Dear Sir or Madam,
INTRODUCTION:
My name is ABAXXXX GXXXXXXXXX, I am one of Mr. MiXXXX
KXXXXXXX's personal treasurers. Mr. KXXXXXX was once one of the richest men in Russia. Mr. KXXXXXXXX is owner of the following
companies:
Chairman CEO: YUKOS OIL (Russia's Largest Oil Company)
Chairman CEO: Menatep SBP Bank (A well known and well respected
financial institution with branches all over the world)
Situation:
Some while ago whilst in the process of crediting certain funds, via
various European security and finance companies , Mr. KXXXXXXX was arrested for his political involvement in the financing of political
parties which posed a threat to President Vladimir Putin's second
tenure as Russian president.
Due to these facts, Yukos Oil has been forced to file under chapter 11
for bankruptcy. Ironically the shares of our largest conglomerates was
dubiously and specially orchestrated by Putin and sold to a local coy
just last week.see as included here.
http://www.kvia.com/Global/story.asp?S=xxxxxxx
http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/050104/xxx/f9nfi.html
Due to the situation wit regards to Mr. MiXXXXl KXXXXXX 'arrest'
and the recent takeover of the petroleum industry by the Russian
Government I have an amount in excess of $21.5M USD which I seek your help and 'business advice' in acquiring access to.
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
The documents that allow me access to the funds in question were handed over to me [in the form of payment] by a United Stats based oil
merchant with regards to previous business done by him and Mr.
KXXXXXXXX.
The funds are currently held by a European security and finance company who are charged with allocating and the final crediting of held funds.
At completion of business, should you agree to help me, you will be rewarded with the sum of 15% of the aforementioned sum in cash to an
account of your choice for your 'advisory' input as a 'consultant'.
YOUR ROLE:
All I need from you is for you to agree to stand as the beneficiary of
the above mentioned sum. I will arrange for the documentation to be
translated and filed with the relevant agencies which will enable the
European finance company transfer the sum to an account.
As soon as I receive confirmation of your readiness to go ahead with
the transfer of funds I will send you all the appropriate documentation
that you need to continue including details of the European finance
house concerned with this transaction.
Sincerely
ABXXXXX GXXXXXXXXX
And it never ends. Just after finishing this article I received the following E-Mail:
From David MXXX.
Liverpool Uk
I am David MXXX and I represent Mr. MXXXXXX [same name as above], the former
C.E.O of Yukos Oil Company in Russia. I have a very
sensitive and confidential brief from this top (oligarch) to ask for
your partnership in re-profiling funds over US$450 million. I will give
the details, but in summary, the funds are coming via Security Company.
This is a legitimate transaction. You will be paid 4% for your
"management fees".If you are interested, please write back by email;
(davidXXXX@netscape.net) and provide me with your confidential
telephone number, fax number and email address and I will provide further
details and instructions.
Please keep this confidential; we can?t afford more political
problems. Finally, please note that this must be concluded within two weeks.
Please write back promptly.
Write me back. I look forward to it.
Regards
David MXXXXX
davidXXXX@netscape.net
So how do you know if these letters are ever real? It's easy- they NEVER are! Besides all the obvious hints and clues, when a letter states, "This is a legitimate transaction," you can be fairly well assured that it is quite the opposite.
If you want to see more about this, and read about how one person has taken a single-handed effort to deal with the scammers, take a look at the Busted Up Cowgirl's website at Big Horse Farms. From the main page, click on the picture of "Ben" and check the long list of links at the bottom of the page. She documents all the letters and actions she has taken. It's great fun to read about scammers being scammed! You GO Girl!
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