PUBLIC AWARENESS ADVISORY: ADVANCE FEE FRAUD SCHEMES

[Alien]

Get a load of this spam:

I am Mr.M Watanabe Bank Manager China Trust Commercial Bank,Taipei,Taiwan.
I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.

On December6, 1999, a Foreign consultant/contractor with the Taiwan printon and minting, Mr.BrianClaude made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valuedat US$30,000,000.00,
(Thirty Million, us Dollars) in my branch.

Upon maturity,I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. Aftera month,we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers,the Taiwan printon and minting that Mr.Brian Claude died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and allattempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigationand discovered that Mr.Brian Claude did not declare any next of kin or relationsin all his official documents including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.This sum of US$30,000,000.00 has
carefully been moved out of my bank to a securitycompany for safekeeping.

No one will ever come forward to claim it. Accordingto Taipei Law, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownershipof the Taiwan Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently,my proposal is that I will like you as an Foreigner to stand in as the owner of the money I deposited it in a security company in a trunk box though the securitycompany does not know the contents
of the box as I tagged them to be photographicmaterials for export. I am writing you because I as a public servant (Manager with the bank), i cannot operate a foreign account or have an account that is more than$1m.

I want to present you as the owner of the box in the security company soyou can be able to claim them with the help of my attorney. This is simple.
I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will put you in place as
the owner of the trunk.

The money will be moved out for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transactionwill be done by the Attorney and this will guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately via myemail address or call me . Upon your response, I shall then provide
you withmore details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.

Pleaseobserve utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this transaction would bemost profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to investmy share in your country.(Buying of properties like houses, hotels etc) Pleasedo send me your private/mobile telephone fax number
so that we can have a smoothcommunication.

Awaiting your urgent reply via my email

Thanks and regards.

Mr.MWatanabe
Bank Manager,
China Trust Commerical Bank,
Taipei,Taiwan.

[Alien]

[url=http://www.chinatrust.com.tw/english/about/index.htm]
Chinatrust Management Team [/url]

Do people really believe this crap?
My dad sent it to me from the US.
Wonder if Chinatrust knows

[BAH]

Also known as a 419 (the penal code). Some of them are quite amusing, with flowery language and whatnot.

Here's a link to some examples: http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Cri ... gerian.htm

First time I've seen one from Taiwan, though.

[ironlady]

I love how there are always problems with these letters...like, how many Japanese branch managers are going to work at Chinatrust anyway? "Watanabe"?

[*monkey*]

Mohammed on the other hand, wants to keep 70% of the booty for himself. I think the Taiwan deal is better. Mr Claude sure has had a rough time. He's died in some pretty scuzzy countries.

I am Mr. Mohammed Azeez Bank Manager OF Eco Bank Ltd,. TOGO. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.

On December 6, 1999, a Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the TOGO printon and milton, Mr.Brian Claude made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$30,000,000.00, (Thirty Million, us Dollars) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month,we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the TOGO printon and milton that Mr.Brian Claude died from an automobile accident.
On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr.Brian Claude did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of US$30,000,000.00 has
carefully been moved out of my bank to a security company for safekeeping.

No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to TOGO Law, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the LOME TOGO Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as an Foreigner to stand in as the owner of the money I deposited it in a security company in a trunk box though the security company does not know the contents
of the box as I tagged them to be photographic materials for export. I am writing you because I as a public servant (Manager with the bank), i cannot operate a foreign account or have an account that is more than $1m.

I want to present you as the owner of the box in the security company so you can be able to claim them with the help of my attorney. This is simple. I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the
Attorney will prepare the necessary documents which will put you in place as the owner of the box.

The money will be moved out for us to share in the ratio of 70% for me and 30% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the Attorney and this will guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.

If you are interested, please reply immediately via my email address or call me . Upon your response, I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.(Buying of properties like houses, hotels etc) Please do send me your private/mobile telephone fax number so that we can have a smooth communication.

Awaiting your urgent reply via my email

Thanks and regards.

Mr.Mohammed Azeez
Bank Manager,
Eco Bank Ltd.
Lome Togo.

[*monkey*]

Here's a lighthearted treatment of the subject. Worth a read. The author claims the scam has become a "national industry" in Nigeria.

http://www.popsubculture.com/pop/bio_project/nigeria-fraud.html[/u]

[JeffG]

Most of you know this is a scam that has been in existence for many many years. It was started in Nigeria. The people who send this letter out often use violence to those business people who fall for there trick.

Jeff
jeff@segue.com.tw

[Anonymous]

Fun with Nigerian spammers at The Spam Letters

Dear Nigerian Ambassador,

My name is Jonathan Land, and I'm a distant relative of a man you've contacted recently named Joshua S. Freeman. When I say "distant relative", I don't mean that I'm one of his siblings or offspring that barely acknowledges his impaired but continuing existence through yearly birthday phone calls and more infrequent visits, I'm just a cousin more times removed than I'd like to bother to calculate. More importantly, I have the power of attorney over Mr. Freeman's estate... unlike Mr. Freeman himself.

The reason I have total control over Mr. Freeman's finances is because he's screwier than a pimp recruiting station at a job fair, and unfortunately you have seen what it's like to personally deal with him. What I'm trying to say here is that not only does his elevator fall a few stories short of the belfry, but no matter how you get up there, you're bound to be hip-deep in guano. God, do I love calling that guy nuts, there's a million ways to do it too!

...

We are, in fact, VERY interested in this opportunity, and I do have the power to make it a reality. There is one stipulation though. Since we would be doing you a great service, I think 20% of the kitty would be a little skimpy. However, we do not want more money! We would like property in key locations around Nigeria to open up a chain of stores. We would also need the proper business licenses for said chain, as well as translators to help us implement everything. If this is possible, I'll fill you in on the nature of the business, but like your deal, it too is confidential, and I'd rather not divulge any pertinent info until it's a go.

Thank you, and I hope I can repair our wounded relationship, and start anew on the right foot... unless you guys have some cultural stigma in regards to feet or the right-hand side of the body.

I'm looking forward to your reply, and I'm very eager to make this happen.

Thanks again,
Jonathan Land
Power of Attorney for Joshua Freeman

and 13 email exchanges later:

Jonathan Land,

If you disturb me again i will use african vodoo agaainst you. You will loose your manhood and may die infact I am looking at you now from a calabash of water and wondering if i should strike you dead but i see a girl an innocent girl, her spirit is strong i will let you pass this time.

Hamza.

[JeffG]

Salmon,

I find this very humourous and effective. Would you mind sending me, by email, your correspondece with this guy as I have also have a few of these guys I'd like to get rid of.

Thanks,

Jeff
jeff@segue.com.tw

[Anonymous]

snot my correspondance, but the estimable Jonathan Land's:

Subject: Re: At Last, Herbal V, the All Natural Alternative is Available!
To: HV@derfriseur.de
From: Jonathan Land <jland@incomplete.net>
Date: 12/02/2000
Herbal V: An Incredible All-Natural Healthy Alternative To V----a

Boy, do I have a bone to pick with you,

You should really pay more attention who you send your advertising to. I am a 17-year-old college student, who, as any average 17-year-old male could tell you, is erect more often than not. If a butterfly flaps it's wings in China, I guarantee you, there isn't an atomic clock that can accurately measure the speed in which I will pitch a tent.

I know you were hoping to get some 45-year-old dentist who has spent the past 20 years of his life with a woman who makes any given NPR personality look like a sex kitten, and yes, that includes the guys from Car Talk. My point is this: because of your primitive "marketing strategy", you have screwed me over BIG TIME!

I've been seeing this girl for about three months now, and I've finally figured out the right combination of sensitivity and alcohol to coerce her into relieving me of that mighty, mighty albatross: Virginity...

http://www.spamletters.com