Scams
The Nigerian Scam
Smartgambler comment:
Also known by other names and not really a gambling
scam, but one you will probably encounter at some
point. This genre of scams has been doing the rounds
for so long now in much the same format that it seems
incredible that anyone is still falling for it. However,
the fact that it is still being perpetrated indicates
that this is the case. The only saving grace is that
anyone being conned by it is themselves of dubious
moral fibre, since what the letter suggests is clearly
illegal. Here is one of hundreds of actual examples
received by us as e-mail spam.
----- Original Message -----
From: Timothy Eze <timoezei@yahoo.com>
To: contact us. <quapi@primus.com.au>
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 9:13 AM
Subject: PRIVATE MEMO
PRIVATE MEMO
FROM: ENGR. TIMOTHY EZE
TEL: 234-1-7758054
FAX: 234-1-7594679
E-mail: timoezei@yahoo.com
LAGOS-NIGERIA. 7th. September, 2001.
Dear Friend,
My letter may come to you as a surprise. I am a subscriber
to the World Industrial Reporter from where I collected
your name and address in the International buyer's
guide section. I am Engr. Timothy Eze, a Director
General in the Federal Ministry of Mines & Power
(FMMP). I am the secretary to the Management Tender's
Committee (MTC) of the Ministry.
In a turn Around Maintenance (TAM) exercise in one
of our parastatal a couple of months ago by Foreign
contractors, we (the MTC members) were able to over
-invoice the contract fees to the tune of US$35 M
(Thirty Five million United States dollars). The main
contractors have been paid off completely. We now
want this floating sum of US$35M, which is now in
the ministry's account to be paid into a foreign account.
Unfortunately, none of us in the committee own a foreign
account since as public servants we are not allowed
to run foreign accounts.
My colleagues (Chairman and other members) have mandated
me to source for an account owner in an overseas bank
where this money can be lodged. The choice person
must be honest and versatile in business, as we shall
be presenting him as though he executed a certain
contract here in this ministry several years ago.
We shall then use our various post and positions in
the Government to influence the processing of this
claim.
MODE OF SHARING: We have agreed that when this fund
is transferred into your account, the chairman and
the other members of this committee shall come over
there to discuses the funds as following; 30% to the
account owner (that is you), 65% to the MTC members
and 5% to settle any expense incurred by both parties
during the process of the transaction. This transaction
is strictly confidential and risk free. The officials
of (FMMP) involved are highly placed Nigerians. Kindly
notify me urgently of your acceptance to this proposal
so that we can set the ball rolling. It is expected
that this transaction will last for 14 days from the
time we get your acceptance letter through our fax:
234-1-7594679 or telephone call on: 234-1-7758054
or via e-mail.
What we do propose here is not uncommon in Nigeria.
Our past and present leaders have been siphoning public
funds in this way. That is why we now see this chance
as an opportunity of a lifetime, which we cannot afford
to lose. Upon your response we shall write you a more
elaborate mail/fax message educating you on your role
in this deal and the way we intend going about the
actualization of this objective. We shall also be
explaining more about the source of this fund and
why we choose you as partner in this deal.
So sir, please do get back to us immediately even
if you are not interested to enable us know if we
should continue with our negotiations or not. I am
waiting for your urgent phone/fax/mail messages with
respect to this proposal.
Thanks,
Timothy Eze.
Further Smartgambler comment:
No, thank you Timothy, for generously agreeing
to part with some of your millions in ill-gotten loot.
We particularly liked the bit, "The choice person
must be honest and versatile in business". Somewhat
more of the latter than the former, obviously!
Would it be mischievious of us to suggest that any
Smartgambler readers so inclined might like to ring
that number reverse charge (call collect) to
discuss the proposal?
New twist to the Nigerian Scam...
The Congolese Scam!
This has extra pathos thrown in as the principal
has suffered at the hands of a repressive regime.
(His father did benefit from the regime to the tune
of US $21 million though, whilst pursuing his human
rights activism.)
-----Original Message-----
From: Emmanuel Dada [mailto:emma_dada@lycos.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2002 12:48 AM
To: guywest_at_ozmium_dot_com_dot_au
Subject: Personal
Dear Sir,
REQUEST FOR URGENT ASSISTANCE
I am the eldest son of the late Henri Dada Kabongo
(a foremost human rights activist in the Democratic
Republic of Congo). My father died in March 2000 as
a result of the inhumane treatment meted out on him
while in prison by the government of Laurent Kabila.
However, it is particularly important to mention
here that before the death of my father, he was a
successful businessman and his business empire
includes real estate, exportation, and consultancy
services which cut across Africa. He was able to accumulate
enough money both in local and foreign
currencies through his business empire. In fact, he
was at one time rated among the first five richest
Congolese businessmen by one of the leading business
magazines in my country. His entire business has been
on the upward trend over the past ten years, bringing
his net profit during the period under review to Twenty
one million U.S dollars ($21,000,000). This of course
does not include his assets which are already running
into millions of dollars.
Having said all this, there was a twist in my father’s
success story
following his confrontation with the government of
Laurent Kabila who has been quite high-handed and
dictatorial in his policies and day-to-day running
of the affairs of the Congolese people. My father
being a human rights activist, criticised his government
in both local and international newspapers. This infuriated
him and he clamped my father in jail until he died
in March last year due to ill health.
Fortunately, before the arrest of my father, his
attorney acting upon his instructions, transferred
the sum of Twenty one million U.S dollars ($21,000,000)
from his local banks to a security firm overseas.
He did this for fear of this accounts being frozen
by the government. Following my father’s death,
my entire family decided to seek political assylum
in Lome-Togo, as the eldest son of my late father
and according to our tradition in Africa I have now
inherited all my father’s wealth. Considering
the present face-off between Kabila and my family,
I was then advised by my father’s attorney (presently
my attorney) to seek the assistance of someone based
in your country to receive the amount in question
being ($21,000,000).
Since I have the intention of relocating my family
there with the aim of settling down there and investing
I have decided to give you 10% of the total amount
involved and I have also set aside 5% for any expenses
that might be incurred in the course of this transaction.
To finalize this transaction you will have to contact
me via my e-mail address (emma_dada@lycos.com). further
discussions will be centered on how and when we shall
be meet after the fund is in your account. I shall
expect you to keep this transaction confidential due
to the present circumstance of my family and I urgently
await your response.
Yours faithfully,
Emmanuel Dada
If you know of or have encountered any gambling
or other scams, let us know about them here at Smartgambler.
Contact us
The South Australian Office Of Consumer And Business
Affairs has a comprehensive list of products it considers
scams or of dubious merit.
Click
here
A useful article in pdf format about racing system
scams can be found here.
ACCC
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