# E-Mail scams: Here's a new one... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078 "2001-02-27T17:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/1 "2001-02-27T17:59:11Z")
…for me at any rate. > [@](#): > > From: From: ude kuti \<[kutiude@yahoo.co.uk](mailto:kutiude@yahoo.co.uk)\> > Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 05:28:02 > Subject: VERY URGENT BUSINESS > > CONTACT) > > TELEFAX: 234-42-xxxxxx > > ATTN: SIR, > > I HAVE THE COURAGE TO ASK YOU TO LOOK FOR A RELIABLE > AND HONEST PERSON WHO WILL BE CAPABLE FOR THIS > IMPORTANT BUSINESS BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET > ME DOWN EITHER NOW OR IN FUTURE. > > I AM kutiude,THE EASTERN DISTRICT BANK > MANAGER OF UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. (UBA). THERE IS > AN ACCOUNT OPENED IN THIS BANK IN 1980 AND SINCE 1990 > NOBODY HAS OPERATED ON THIS ACCOUNT AGAIN. AFTER GOING > THROUGH SOME OLD FILES IN THE RECORDS I DISCOVERED > THAT IF I DO NOT REMITT THIS MONEY OUT URGENTLY IT > WILL BE FORFEITED FOR NOTHING. > > THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT IS MR. SMITH B. ANDREAS, A > FOREIGNER, AND THE MANAGER OF PETRO - TECHNICAL > SUPPORT SERVICES, A CHEMICAL ENGINEER BY PROFESSION > AND HE DIED SINCE 1990. NO OTHER PERSON KNOWS ABOUT > THIS ACCOUNT OR ANY THING CONCERNING IT, THE ACCOUNT > HAS NO OTHER BENEFICIARY AND MY INVESTIGATION PROVED > TO ME AS WELL THAT THIS COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW ANYTHING > ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT AND THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS (USD 26 > MILLION DOLLARS). I WANT TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY INTO A > SAFE FOREIGNERS ACCOUNT ABROAD BUT I DON’T KNOW ANY > FOREIGNER, I AM ONLY CONTACTING YOU AS A FOREIGNER > BECAUSE THIS MONEY CAN NOT BE APPROVED TO A LOCAL BANK > HERE, BUT CAN ONLY BE APPROVED TO ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT > BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN US DOLLARS AND THE FORMER > OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT IS MR. SMITH B. ANDREAS IS A > FOREIGNER TOO. I KNOW THAT THIS MASSAGE WILL COME TO > YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE DON’T KNOW OUR SELVES BEFORE, > BUT BE SURE THAT IT IS REAL AND A GENUINE BUSINESS. I > ONLY GOT YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS FROM THE COMPUTER ,WITH > BELIEVE IN GOD THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN IN THIS > BUSINESS YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THAT I HAVE CONTACTED > IN THIS BUSINESS, SO PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY SO THAT I > WILL INFORM YOU THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE URGENTLY. > > I WANT US TO SEE FACE TO FACE OR SIGN A BINDING > AGREEMENT TO BIND US TOGETHER SO THAT YOU CAN RECIEVE > THIS MONEY INTO A FORIEGN ACCOUNT OR ANY ACCOUNT OF > YOUR CHOICE WHERE THE FUND WILL BE REMMITTED.AND I > WILL FLY TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR WITHDRAWAL AND SHARING > AND OTHER INVESTMENTS. > > I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO INVOLVE A > FOREIGNER WITH FOREIGN ACCOUNT AND FOREIGN > BENEFICIARY. I NEED YOUR CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS > WORK FINE. BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT IS READY TO APPROVE > THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO HAS CORRECT > INFORMATION OF THIS ACCOUNT, WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU > LATER IMMEDIATELY, IF YOU ARE ABLE AND WITH CAPABILITY > TO HANDLE SUCH AMOUNT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND TRUST > ACCORDING TO MY INSTRUCTIONS AND ADVICE FOR OUR MUTUAL > BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL NEVER COME AGAIN > IN MY LIFE. A NEED TRUTHFUL PERSON IN THIS BUSINESS > BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO MAKE MISTAKE I NEED YOUR > STRONG ASSURANCE AND TRUST. > > WITH MY POSITION NOW IN THE OFFICE I CAN TRANSFER THIS > MONEY TO ANY FOREIGNERS RELIABLE ACCOUNT WHICH YOU CAN > PROVIDE WITH ASSURANCE THAT THIS MONEY WILL BE INTACT > PENDING MY PHYSICAL ARRIVAL IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR > SHARING. I WILL DESTROY ALL DOCUMENTS OF TRANSACTION > IMMEDIATELY WE RECIEVE THIS MONEY LEAVING NO TRACE TO > ANY PLACE. YOU CAN ALSO COME TO DISCUSS WITH ME FACE > TO FACE AFTER WHICH I WILL MAKE THIS REMITTANCE IN > YOUR PRESENCE AND TWO OF US WILL FLY TO YOUR COUNTRY > AT LEAST TWO DAYS AHEAD OF THE MONEY GOING INTO YOUR > ACCOUNT. > > I WILL APPLY FOR ANNUAL LEAVE TO GET VISA IMMEDIATELY > I HEAR FROM YOU THAT YOU ARE READY TO ACT AND RECEIVE > THIS FUND IN YOUR ACCOUNT. I WILL USE MY POSITION AND > INFLUENCE TO EFFECT LEGAL APPROVALS AND ONWARD > TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH > APPROPRIATE CLEARANCE FORMS OF THE MINISTRIES AND > FOREIGN EXCHANGE DEPARTMENTS. > > AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS BUSINESS, YOU WILL BE GIVEN > 35% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT, 60% WILL BE FOR ME, WHILE 5% > WILL BE FOR EXPENSES BOTH PARTIES MIGHT HAVE INCURED > DURING THE PROCESS OF TRANSFERING. > > I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST REPLY BY FAX ONLY. > TELEFAX LINE: 234-42-xxxxxx. > > YOURS TRULY, > kutiude Okay, what’s up with THIS CRAP? I have to assume that the fax line is just an expensive call that sends money back to the person who ownsthe line (like those sex lines that say "only an international charge " when it’s really the international equivilent to a 900 number), but really, this is totally new for me. Anyone have any information on this one? I exed out the Fax numbers above because I certainly don’t want to spread this any further than it already is. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/2 "2001-02-27T18:08:49Z")
I seem to recall a classic con involving someone with a ficticious large sum of money that they want to transfer into the country. Can’t remember how it worked tho. IMO the illegal aspect of this transaction kinda points at a scam, since in a classic scam the ‘mark’ can’t go to the authorities afterwards. BTW, try reading paragraph 3 in a **Mojo-Jojo** voice 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/3 "2001-02-27T18:13:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Satan \* > \*\* > Okay, what’s up with THIS CRAP? > > I have to assume that the fax line is just an expensive call that sends money back to the person who ownsthe line (like those sex lines that say "only an international charge " when it’s really the international equivilent to a 900 number), but really, this is totally new for me. > > Anyone have any information on this one? > > I exed out the Fax numbers above because I certainly don’t want to spread this any further than it already is. \*\* It could also be a variation on the classic “Pigeon Drop” scam. I’d be willing to bet that if you played along sooner or later you’d be asked to put up some of your own money as a guarantee of your trustworthiness. Check out the Nigerian Funds Fraud described at [http://prairielaw.com/articles/article.asp?channelId=8&subId=81&articleId=1387](http://prairielaw.com/articles/article.asp?channelId=8&subId=81&articleId=1387) ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/4 "2001-02-27T18:15:53Z")
Gee, I don’t know. He sounds like a nice enough guy. It is probably your day job as ruler of the netherworld that makes you doubt his story. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/5 "2001-02-27T18:23:32Z")
My connection is too slow, today, to check out the link, but isn’t this the one where, in order to put the money _into_ your account, you have to provide so much account information that they use that knowledge to withdraw all the money _from_ your account? ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/6 "2001-02-27T18:40:54Z")
Well, it’s definitely either a scam or a crank, but you should see if you can get that massage mentioned in paragraph 3. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hokienautic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Hokienautic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokienautic)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/7 "2001-02-27T18:43:17Z")
Yes, it’s a complete and utter scam. Go do a search on Yahoo or Google with “Nigeria” and “scam” and you’ll see what I mean. They will eventually ask you to front some cash, and if you go that far, they’ll finally invite you to Nigeria to oversee the transfer, where you will be murdered and robbed of whatever you bring with you. Stay far far away. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/8 "2001-02-27T18:44:23Z")
This actually circulated a few years back by fax! The place where I worked in the early 90s got a fax that was very similar, if not exactly the same, as the email message. I called the local RCMP detachment, and the officer asked me to send him the fax to add to his file, which he described as “very thick”. Apparently the gimick was as someone described above - get banking information and empty the account. What was that about greed being good? Sometimes it’s just stupid! D18 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/9 "2001-02-27T18:48:01Z")
\*\*tomndeb \*\* got it right - in order to facilitate the transfew of funds, you have to provide your own account info, which would allow them to make withdrawls, perhaps establish credit in your name etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/10 "2001-02-27T18:49:26Z")
Read all about it: [The 419 Coalition Website](http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/) ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/11 "2001-02-27T18:54:42Z")
The English syntax and grammar is what clued me in. I seem to recall this diction in something like…“all your base belong to us.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@johnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnson)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/12 "2001-02-27T18:55:45Z")
is found [here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/style/columns/belowthebeltway/A32073-2001Feb20.html). ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/13 "2001-02-27T18:56:40Z")
I used to be a general manager of a Westinghouse Electric Corp. division (_may she rest in peace_) and I used to get one of these emails about once a month. The Wall Street Journal wrote a long article on the many small businessmen who lost big bucks biting on this one. Unless you’re a manager of a large corporation or the owner of a small business you can’t even begin to imagine the number of scams you’ve got to watch out for. Luckily most of them are so inane they’re easily spotted. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/14 "2001-02-27T19:10:13Z")
I should have mentioned that the Secret Service would like you to forward that e-mail to them as they are maintaining a database on the Nigerian scam. I’ve received and forwarded manny over the years, mostly letters, but a few e-mails as well, some from the Ivory Coast and Senegal. Some students of the phenomenon suspect the complicity of the Nigerian government. I can’t remember if I saw this at the 419 site or elsewhere, but I’ve read that at some point or another fully 25% of all telephone numbers in Nigeria have been associated with the scam. It’s hard to feel much sympathy for those taken in because every approach I’ve seen indicates right up front that the bajillion bucks to be divvied up are ill-gotten. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/15 "2001-02-27T19:47:24Z")
What, nobody’s pointed out the Snopes link yet? I’m ashamed of you’uns. [Nigerian Scam](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/nigeria.htm) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/16 "2001-02-27T22:13:21Z")
Perhaps you’ve already checked, but here is the URL for the United Bank of Africa: [http://www.ubamoneygram.com/](http://www.ubamoneygram.com/) Might be worth dropping them a line. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/17 "2001-02-28T00:14:04Z")
A nice fella in Nigeria sent me a similar offer by e-mail recently. Or at least to my e-mail address, since he didn’t address me by name. I was requested to forward a bunch of information, including phone and fax numbers, bank account numbers etc. to facilitate the scheme. I was only offered 30% of the take (guess they’re upping the ante now). I did respond with a local phone number to call and a demand for 40%. If they tried the number they got the local office of the F.B.I. - here’s hoping it cost them a little in long distance charges. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/18 "2001-02-28T00:23:13Z")
As mentioned that is a clone of the nigerian scam. I used to get those letters every couple of months. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/19 "2001-02-28T00:44:06Z")
Congratulations, **Satan** , on being one of the _last people in America_ to have been hit with the Nigeria Scam. 😉 I received several versions of that letter in the early 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-scams-heres-a-new-one/56078/20 "2001-02-28T05:56:28Z")
Before there was an Internet. Before there was email I seem to recall hard letters like that going out…and it was the subject of a 60 minutes story. All this at least 20 years ago. No wonder this is such a significant part of the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product. That part Hokienautic mentioned about going to the country and getting murdered may be a _different_ skam that is going on in Columbia (you’re supposed to be meeting a soul mate).