A TroxBlog Compendium Of E-Mail Scams

In my column last Sunday, I asked readers to pass along examples of e-mail scams, and boy, did they comply. I've been reading them all week and they've long since started running together. I think that one night I even dreamed about getting them. I've broken them down into general categories in the several following posts.

My thanks to everybody who took the time to reply. But as I said on the blog yesterday, you can stop sending them now. Please! At this point they seem to be variations on a few basic themes, all of which lead to an attempt to get you to supply your banking account, credit card or other vital information.

The list below doesn't even cover the additional universe of "phishing," in which someone tries to fool you by saying that your eBay account is messed up or that all customers of Bank So-and-So need to go to a special website. These are "narrative" scams, in which someone tells a story or yarn to try to lure in the recipient. Here's my breakdown:

I. Somebody is trying to get money out of their country

II. A business or investor wants to give you money

III. Someone has left you money

IV. Someone was killed or is sick and dying and you can have his or her money

V. You have won a lottery or a prize

VI. Miscellaneous scams

Check out specifics in the posts below. And again, thanks for submitting them!

E-Mail Scams, Part I: Somebody Is Trying To Get Money Out Of Their Country

This is far and away the most popular category of e-mail scam. It's hard to believe anybody ever falls for it, but they do. Apparently the world is filled with huge secret caches of millions of dollars -- and they tend to fall into the hands of people who, for some reason, aren't able to deal with it themselves and need the help of a friendly American stranger!

MY NAME IS MRS.LARISA SOSNITSKAYA, PERSONAL SECRETARY TO MR.BORIS MIKHAIL KHODORKOVSKY,THE ARRESTED CHAIRMAN/CEO OF YUKOS OIL AND BANK
MENATEP SPB IN RUSSIA WHO IS PRESENTLY IN JAIL.AFTER SEARCHING THROUGH THE BOOKS OF YOUR COUNTRY'S CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES HERE IN RUSSIA I AM CONTACTING YOU TO ASSIST ME TO RE-PROFILE THE FUNDS AND EQUALLY INVEST SAME ON HIS BEHALF.THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS TO BE RE-PROFILLED IS FORTY SIX MILLION DOLLARS (USD$46,000,000.00) AND YOU WILL BE PAID 20% FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

Dear Friend, Greetings to you and your family. My name is  Ali Ibrahim I am a British and serving in the US Military in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiments, Patrols Tail Afar, in Iraq. I am desperately in need of assistance and I have summoned up courage to contact you. I am presently working in Iraq and I found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your assistance to evacuate the sum of US$8.523 Million Dollars) Eight Million five Hundred Thousand And Twenty Three Dollars  to the States or any safe country of your choice,

Greeting,  Compliment of the season, you may be surprised to receive this mail from me since you do not know me personally I am CHAN LEE, the scrutiny officer of Bank of China offshore payment office in Hongkong. Due to the high rate of corruption going on in the world,we have been mandated to pay all overdue payment to all our foreign contractors, By virtue of my position in this committee, I and my colleagues has been able to negotiate out for our self the sum of USD$8.4 million united state Dollars which was packaged in a box and  deposited to a diplomatic courier company as a family valuable  which will be delivered through a diplomatic means out of the country.

Hello, > Do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does not meet your> personal ethics although, I wish to use this medium to get > in touch with you first because it's fastest means. I am an > external auditor of a well known Bank here in the United > Kingdom. > In one of our periodic auditing I discovered a dormant > accounts with holding balance of 10,000,000 (Ten Million > British Pounds) which has not been operated for the past > three years. From my investigations and confirmations, the > owner of this account, a foreigner by name Mr.Gregory > B.Wilson died in plane crash in July 19,2003 and since then > nobody has done anything as regards the claiming of this > money because he has no family members who are aware of the > existence of neither the account nor the funds. > I have secretly discussed this matter with a top senior > minister official of the federal ministry of finance here> and we have agreed to find a reliable foreign partner to > deal with us...

Hello, Although you might be apprehensive about my email as we have not met before,My name is Mr Song Li le I work with the Hang Seng Bank.There is the sum of $19,500,000.00 in my bank"Hang Seng Bank", Hong kong. There were no beneficiaries stated concerning these funds which means no one would ever come forward to claim it. That is why I ask that we work together so as to have the sum transfered out of my bank into your account.

Hello,  I am Mr. Niang Madicke, i work with one of the big banks here in Dakar,Senegal. My apologies if you find my mail intruding.I do not mean to offend you but only wish to use this medium to propose a business transaction to you which i believe would be of benefits to both of us if you agree to work with me.... [Assurances here that this is not a hoax] ...  The total amount involved is around (six million US dollars)and all i need from you is to help me get the funds over to you safely,i have everything all worked out and there would be no risk or danger in this transaction.

Dear Friend, Please take some time off your busy schedule to read and respond to this email as soon as possible. I am serving in Iraq (Mosul), I will need your assistance to take care of some financial matters for me, and of course you will be adequately compensated with 40% as your share for rendering this assistance. I have to urgently evacuate money, totaling US$33,700,000(thirty three million, seven hundred thousand US dollars) clean legal notes, and all in US$100 bills out of here to a safe place, having found a secure way to do so.

E-Mail Scams, Part II: Some Business Or Investor Out Of The Blue Wants To Give You Money

Isn't this just a glorified version of the "stuff envelopes at home, make thousands a week" scam?

Dear Sir/Madam, This is a Letter from Gulf Oil&Gas Company in Hong kong ... We know that you may be surprise on how we got your Email address,your email was picked at random by our Gmek System use to randomly select the right candidate for this position. We want to make you our Payment Agent there in your location and your reward is 10% Please contact us for more information.

British Petroleum Company seeks for resourceful individual as payment Officer. (Work From Home).You are to receive a commission of 15% from every payment been made to you.Payment are to be made cash and online wire transfer.No cheque,Draft and travel's Cheque payment.

I am Princess Osai Boma, a native of ABONNEMA in Rivers State. By introduction, I have served in various capacities as AIDE to the Governor of my State and in this present Government at Federal levels which has handed over to another elected democratic administration, on  May 29th, 2007. From the fore-going,I hope that, I have properly introduced myself. My reason for writing you is to solicit for a joint partnership Investment Venture in your country.

My Dear, I am a business consultant in London, UK. My clients is interested in investing with you or your company. Kindly forward all your company/personal profiles to me for immediate decision on the investment plan and how the investment funds will be handed over to you. Total amount to be invested is 95,000,000,00.USD {ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ONLY}, and it is deposited with a Deposit House in Spain.

Goodday I am Mohammed Abacha. I need your assistance in taking custody of some funds for investment into viable business venture in your country in partnership with me.
Please view these websites and read their content carefully.

Dear Friend, Compliment of the season,I am Mr. Patrick Chan Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Hong Kong.I have a Business Proposal of ($30,000,000.00) for you to handle with me from my bank.I will need you to assist me in executing this Business Project from Hong Kong to your country. I need to know if you will be able to handle this with me before I explain to you in details.Should you be interested please send me your full 1,Full names, 2,Private phone number, 3,Current residential address.

Dear Friend, I am making this contact based on my committee (Department of Mineral & Energy) needs an individual/company who can help us with the transfer of a contract entitlement. This amount (US$14.5M) represents the balance of the total contract value executed on behalf of my Department by a foreign contracting firm. This amount we have gotten approval to transfer abroad to any foreign bank account.

Dear Sir/Madam,  Our company, Tao & Wang Associates based in People's Republic of China,is in need of representatives in Europe and North America to represent its interests with some companies that export products from China to this continents. We have mandated to seek individuals in North America for the purpose of being payment officers.We were able to get your email address with the help of marketing research based on your location.If you are interested and for moreinformation, please send an email with: 1.Your Full Name: 2.Age: 3. Sex: 4. Occupation: 5. Your Address: 6.Annual Income: 7. Your Telephone Number and/or Fax:

E-Mail Scams, Part III: Somebody Has Left You Money

NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST: On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Mr. Edwin Gabriel, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late Mr. Edwin Gabriel made you a beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD$10,500.000.00) to you in the codicil and last testament to his will.

My Dear Good Friend, How are you today? I am writing to inform you that  I have Paid the fee for your Cheque Draft. And  I went to the bank  to confirm if the Cheque has expired or getting near to expire and  Mr.Ahmed Zafa the Director of Central Bank of West African States(BCEAO) told me that before the cheque will get to your hand that it will expire. So I told him to cash the US$2.5MILLION US DOLLARS to cash payment to avoid losting this funds.

ATTN: HONOURABLE BENEFICIARY, I am ALHAJI BABAGANA KINGIBE; secretary federal government of Nigeria of Office of the Presidency. I have being directed by His Excellency, The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria UMARU MUSA  YAR'ADUA, to bring to your notice that this Government understands your Plight, the disappointment you have suffered in the past to get your Contract /inheritance fund paid to you.

REF:- INSTRUCTION TO CREDIT  YOUR  BANK  ACCOUNT This is to notify you about the statue of your fund right now in my desk. After due vetting and evaluation of your Inheritance file which The Ministry of Finance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Forwarded and contracted us to see to your immediate payment. From our findings you have been going through hard ways by paying alot of charges to see to the release of your fund ($25, 000, 000, 00) which has been delayed.

E-mail Scams, Part IV: Somebody Was Killed Or They Are Sick And Dying And You Can Have Their Money

GREETINGS TO YOU IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.I AM MRS.SERAH IDAHOSA. A WIDOW TO LATE BEN IDAHOSA. I AM 58 YEARS OLD. I AM NOW A NEW CHRISTAIN CONVERT, SUFFERING FROM LONG TIME CANCER OF THE BREAST. [The short of this one is she wants help in donating $12 million to the needy in the U.S.]

When my late husband was alive he secured $15Million (Fifteen Million U.S. Dollars) with financial institution here in Cote D'Ivoire. Presently, this money is still with the financial institution. Recently, my Doctor told me that from all the test conducted on my health, I am not going to last long, expecially, due to my cancer and stroke. But what disturbs me most now is stroke. Having known my condition, I decided to donate this fund to churches or Christian individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct.

Hello, This is Anne from Trinidad &Tobago. I am writing from the hospital in Cote D'Ivoire, therefore this mail is very urgent as you can see that I am going home. I was told by the doctor that I was poisoned and has got my lever damaged and can only live for some months. I inherited some money ($16,500,000 Million) from my late father and I cannot think of anybody trying to kill me apart from my step mother in order to inherit the money, she is an Ivorian by nationality.  I want you to contact my servant with this informations below...

E-Mail Scams, Part V: You Have Won A Lottery Or Prize

Sometimes the simplest scam is the best. Forget all that smuggling millions of out Iraq stuff -- just tell folks they have won something!

Your email address has won you $4.6M from the UK Lottery online draws held in Dubai on the 6TH of July 2007 Lucky Number:UJT:87829283.Contact Mr Ben Jyair with your official names,country,address, tel,date of draw on... for delivery of your winning cheque.

It gives us great joy to acknowledge you as the recipient of our yearly draw, held on the 16th day of July, 2007. You have therefore emerged as a recipient in the first category with an award of Two Million United States Dollar (US$2,000,000.00USD) United States dollars in this annual middle of year promo...

Dear Beneficiary, The Fondazione Di Vittorio, would like to notify you that you have been chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and business development.

The Russian Foundation for basic research would like to notify you that you have been chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and business development.

And I especially like these last two because they claim to be making reparations to victims of e-mail scams!

This is to bring to your notice that we are delegated from the UNITED NATIONS in Central Bank to pay 150  victims of scam $100,000 USD (One Hundred Thounsand Dollars) each. You are listed and approved for this payment as one of the scammed victims to be paid this amount, get back to this office as soon as possible for the immediate payments of your $100,000 USD compensations funds.

The Coalition to Protect Contractors is a Non-Government Organization (NGO) formed in March 2006 by a group of activists, patriots and like-minds to protect the rights of Foreign Contractors in Africa. We have also extended our scope to include pursuit of payments for money inherited from the deceased. We are operating from United Kingdom at the moment for tactical reasons and have resolved to ensure justice is done for the money being owed you for long because of the unscrupulous activities, misdeeds, irregularities, exploitation, extortion, mess and disappointments by many questionable and unscrupulous characters in these African countries.

E-Mail Scams, Part VI: Miscellaneous Scams

A couple of readers told me about some other unusual scams:

In follow up to your Sunday piece – my wife got a piece of mail from a company called RJM Acquisitions Funding Inc. claiming that she owed a past due bill to Fingerhut for a past due bill.  We get this solicitation once or twice a year and it is a known fraud.  We have never ordered anything from Fingerhut let alone had a charge account with them. I checked it out last time and this RJM Acquisitions Funding is a known fraud in NY State. I have enclosed a PDF of the letter.

i have received a different kind of scam , it seems it is targetting people selling there cars by owner. i first received an SMS  inquiring about my car , and it includes his email address to reply , then he sent me an email with about 15 questions about my car , and it seems he wants to email me a check more than the price of my car , in  order that i will give him my  car and the difference in cash .

Coming Thursday: The TroxBlog Handy-Dandy Compendium Of E-Mail Scams

Thanks to all who responded to my request in Sunday's column to forward some of the more entertaining e-mail scams they receive. On Thursday morning I'll post some of them here on TroxBlog by category.

Having said that, can I make a second request? You'll laugh at me. YOU CAN STOP SENDING THEM NOW. I swear, I have read so many that I am getting them in my dreams... dear honorable sir/madam, I know my message must come as some shock and surprise to you...

E-Mail Scams: Targeted At Churchgoers

Well, I asked for it in my Sunday column, and readers are sending in their favorite e-mail scams by the dozen. Most are funny, some are scary, and a couple are downright disgusting...

The Catholic Church Italy ... would like to notify you that you have been chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and business development. The Church, established in the year 1872, is one  of the biggest church  built for God in Italy.  In the year 1901, they started offering   collection for the sole aim of human growth, educational and Community development. In conjunction with the ECOWAS, UNO, and the EU, We are giving out a yearly donation of US$650, 000.00 each to 100 lucky recipients each year. These specific Donations/Grants will be awarded to 100 lucky international recipients worldwide; in different categories for their personal business development.

Dear Brother/Sister's in Lord Christ Jesus. Calvary greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,I am former Mr Ahmedaliza Wasilat ,now Mr Christain Davis,,I am now a new Christian convert,suffering from long time cancer of the heart. From all indications, my condition is really deteriorating and is quite obvious that I may not live more than six months, because the cancer stage has gotten to a very severe stage.My late wife was killed during the Gulf war, and during the period of our marriage we had a son who was also killed in a cold blood during the Gulf war.My late wife was very wealthy and after her death,I inherited all our business and wealth. My personal physician told me that I may not live for more than six months and I am so scared about this. So, I now decided to divide part of this wealth, by contributing to the development of evangelism in Africa,America, Europe and Asian Countries. This mission which will no doubt be tasking had made me to recenlty relocated to Israel,where I live presently. I selected your church after visiting the website for this purpose and prayed over it, I am willing to donate the sum of $19.500,000.00 Million US Dollars to your Church/Ministry for the development of evangelism and also as aids for the less privileged around you.

This guy is based in "Bahamas"...

I am Hugh Herman.A business consultant based in Bahamas.
I have a transaction i will want to do with you.I got your
information
from the International Directory and will want to talk with you
before we could proceed with the transaction.
As soon  as i hear from you we shall proceed.
Looking forward to hear from you.

... while you would think that these guys would have something other than a Yahoo address.

We are presently searching for Representatives/Collection Agents who
can help us establish a medium of getting to our customers in the
America, precisely USA and Canada and Europe as well. If interested,
Please contact me on guangdongcorp@yahoo.com.cn 

Respectfully Submitted,

Mr. Hou Weijun
Gen.Manager
GUANG DONG LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
PRODUCTS IMP.&.EXP.CORP

E-Mail Scam: Appeal To Pity

I pray this letter touches you to be of help to my deplorable
condition which the latest crisis around our region has caused. I am Fatima Abbas Mahmoud
who until the last couple of months lived happily with my husband
and two kids in the region of tyre in Lebanon . My husband and two
daughters were killed on the same day during the Israeli raid on that region
leaving me to face the world alone without love and shelter for a
problem that we had no hand in, am unstable
emotionally and live at the mercy of those who can do little or nothing
to salvage my present condition. Our home and property were destroyed
and left in rubbles. This is a passionate plea to your conscience in
assisting me to live a life again though it can never be the same when at
twenty eight I have been turned into a helpless widow.

E-Mail Scam, Sinister Category: Someone Wishes You Harm

Most of these scams are pretty funny and appeal to greed. This one appeals to an even more basic instinct: fear. May this scammer get his just desserts.

This is the only way I could contact you for now,I want you to be very
careful about this and keep this secret with you until I make out  space
for us to see. You have no need of knowing who I am or where I am
from.I know this may sound very surprising to you but it's the
situation.i have been paid some ransom in advance to terminate you  with
some  reasons  listed to me by my employer.It's someone I believe you
call a friend,  I have followed you closely for a while now and have
seen that you are  innocent of the accusations he leveled against you.Do
not contact the  police or try to send a copy of this to them,because if
you do, I will  know,and might be pushed to do what I have been paid to
do.Besides,  this is  the 1st time I turn out to be a betrayer in my
job.I took pity on  you,that is why I have made up my mind to help you
if you are willing  to  help yourself.

E-Mail Scam: You're Named In A Will

I kind of liked this one -- it showed creativity, I thought. And she sounds like a good woman.

NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST: On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Mrs. Peggy Randy, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late Mrs. Peggy Randy made you a beneficiary to her WILL. She left the sum of Fifteen Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD$15,100.000.00 ) to you in the codicil and last testament to her will. This may sound strange and unbelievable to you, but it is real and true. Being a widely travelled woman, she must have been in contact with you in the past or simply you were nominated to her by one of her numerous friends  abroad who wished you good. Mrs. Peggy Randy until her death was a member of the Helicopter Society and the Institute of Electronic & Electrical Engineers. She was a very dedicated Christian who loved to give out. Her great philanthropy earned her numerous awards during her life time. Late Mrs. Peggy Randy  died on the 16th day of February 2007 at the age of 43 years and her WILL is now ready for execution. According to her this money is to support her Christian activities (may her soul rest with the Lord) and to help the poor and needy. Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as soon as possible to enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear from you in no distant date.

E-mail Scam: Kirin Beer Wants You!

So far I've gotten several entertaining e-mails forwarded by readers in response to my Sunday column about Internet scams. Some are of the usual "your account has expired, please click here" variety. But the more entertaining ones usually have to do with somebody who can barely write coherent English trying to pose as an "investor" or someone who has chosen YOU, out of all the folks in the world, to receive millions of dollars out of the blue. These things are fun to laugh at -- but the sad fact is, some people continue to fall for them! Here's my favorite so far:

Kazuyasu Kato
Kirin Brewery Co.,LTD.

To whom it may concern.

I have a transaction of mutual benefits, which I like to share with
you. It involves an investment in our organization which I like to
acquire with your help and you will be compensated adequately as your
commission.

If you are interested please reply instantly via this email address
including your particulars or forward your telephone number so we
discuss and I shall provide you with the details of this transaction.

thank you as i wait your response hoping that we have a benefiting
business relationship together.

Respectfully Submitted,
Kazuyasu Kato
President& CEO

More scams follow below.... plus I'm putting them in a new category llisted over in the left-hand column titled "E=mail scams."

E-mail scam: You, no. Your sister, maybe...

Dear Sir/Madam,
With deep appreciation of your esteem contact i got from your business website,i wish to introduce myself to u, I am Mr Musa Hassan Mohammad from Iraq, but i am living now in Thailand Bangkok with my younger sister (conditionally) actually i will like to invest in your company.
Sir i will like to know the procedures of a non-citizen investing in your company\country, actually after reading through your web-site, i decided to contact you because i cannot invest in your company or country without an assistant from someone from your country.
I will like you to advice me on a business there that i can invest and the procedures before the investment, why i inquired is because, in investments, you have to look for a good company and country that the safety environmental condition of the foriegn investor is quaranteed, A company\ country that is trustworthy with good government,good management and better economy to invest so that you can be sure of reaping the good dividends of investment.
Thanks very much for taking time to go through my e-mail and i am also looking forward to read your reply soon so that i can detail you on why i contacted you and having interest in investing in your company and how much fund that i will like to invest in the area of the business that we will discuss very well on your good directives and advise. Reply to my private email addresses:

Thanks
Mr. Musa

E-mail scam: 'Mistrust is like an axe on the tree of partnership'

Compliments,
 
   I hope this message reaches you in good health. ??? (AMEN)
 
   Truthfully I am sorry to have browsed your email address from the internet to send you this mail without your consent or approval. Do understand.
 
   To start with, permit me to introduce myself. My name is Prince Matthew Anil-Karim 21yrs of age, the son of late chief Dr. Anil-Karim Bahadur of sudan(Dafur)
 
Seven months after mother died of diabetes/ high blood pressure (HB/P) father was killed by some unknown militrants during the war in our country (Sudan Dafur). When father and mother were alive, father disclosed a secret to mother which mother also gave me the information about father depositing a family treasure box (Consignment) with content ($ 12.3 Million USD) in a security company in Ghana with the service of his Ghanaian barrister (John Addo).
 
   Having a meeting with me at the United Nations Refugee Camp UNHCR (Buduburam) Ghana. Bar. John Addo told me that my late father?s laid down instruction before the release of the consignment was for me to seek for a foreign partner who will stand to help me collect the consignment box from the company and head a lucrative production or investment in his/her country due to the effects behind Africa racism, political and polygamous family problem.
 
   Therefore, I would want to know if you can be capable, reliable and God fearing enough to assist me collect this consignment box from the security company and have them deliver it to you while you invite me to meet you in your country for the sharing and investment of a lucrative production in your country.
 
   Furthermore, I will promise you with all sincerity and a heart full of thankfulness to God that I shall give you 20% per annum as your benefit of assisting this young orphan attain his ambition.
 
   Mistrust is like an axe on the tree of partnership but since only God could ordain trust, I will be very grateful to Him to build up such a relationship with.
 
Expecting your reply and thanks in advance.
 
God bless you.
 
Yours truly,
Prince Matthew Anil-Karim.
PLEASE REPLY TO MY PRIVATE MAIL BOX: