# I finally got the Nigeran scam letter! Wooohoooo! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 22, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118 "2002-08-22T18:39:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/1 "2002-08-22T18:39:47Z")
I was beginning to feel a little left out, like I wasn’t important or rich enough for the likes of Nobatu Mkembe, et al. Seriously, though, I simply forwarded the letter to Yahoo Spamguard and then deleted it. Does Yahoo Spamguard actually work? ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@Second\_Guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Guest)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/2 "2002-08-23T14:56:30Z")
I’ve never received any spam through Yahoo (does that mean the Spamguard is working?), but I did receive a couple of versions of the Nigerian scam letter through Excite mail. I was slightly disappointed that it wasn’t more convincing. Does anyone really fall for this thing? ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/3 "2002-08-23T15:08:43Z")
I got the Nigerian letter at work last week. Like **ivylass** , I feel much better now. I do get spam on my Yahoo account, but only from [PassionUp.com](http://PassionUp.com). The odd thing is that most of it goes to the spam folder, but a few go to my inbox. Very strange. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/4 "2002-08-23T15:12:22Z")
1997 Newspaper article quoted by [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/nigeria.htm): “We have confirmed losses just in the United States of over $100 million in the last 15 months,” said Special Agent James Caldwell, of the Secret Service financial crimes division. “And that’s just the ones we know of. We figure a lot of people don’t report them.” (Thanks, [Poddy](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=106183&highlight=nigerian+scam)!) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/5 "2002-08-23T18:10:30Z")
I received a Russian variant just yesterday! “She” claims that she’s been hired by a US firm, is still working in Russia, and that she needs someone to receive her US paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/6 "2002-08-23T18:47:27Z")
Maybe it’s just where I decide to enter my e-mail, but I haven’t gotten any porn, either. Just offers for debt consolidation or weight loss. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/7 "2002-08-24T03:21:02Z")
I finally got this one last month. After years of hearing about it, I finally get the letter. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/8 "2002-08-24T19:26:59Z")
I got one last month too, from \*“MR. Tambo, a native of Cape Town in South Africa and I am an Executive Accountant with the South Africa Department of Mining & Natural Resources.” \* He blew it when he addressed me as “Dear Sir” - if he doesn’t know the significance of tits, he needs more help than I can give him. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/9 "2002-08-25T00:25:41Z")
Yeah, I’ve gotten that one a few times. Also, got klezed once. Still get an occassional “hey, baby.” I finally learned to quit replying and I’ve dropped off a lot of the mailing lists. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/10 "2002-08-25T03:10:30Z")
I get about 5-10 viruses a day. I’ve gotten the nigerian (or whatever flavor-of-the-day) letter dozens of times. Anyone want my share? ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/11 "2002-08-25T09:39:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FairyChatMom \* > …an Executive Accountant with the South Africa Department of Mining & _ **Natural Resources.** _" He blew it when he addressed me as “Dear Sir” - if he doesn’t know the significance of tits, he needs more help than I can give him. (emphasis mine) FCM - many a humourous quip have you writ. That randy comment is priceless. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/12 "2002-08-25T13:41:35Z")
I was also disappointed that I never recieved a Nigerian scam email. But recently I got something similiar. > [@](#): > > I am Mr. A. Savimbi, son of the late rebel leader > Jonas Savimbi of Angola who was killed on the 22nd of > February 2002 . A link was thoughtfully provided to learn more information about his “father”. How anyone can fall for these things is beyond me. > [@](#): > > When you > are ready I will give you the information needed > before you can get access to 7,000kg of AU gold dust, > 8500kg of pure Diamond and raw cash of USD100 million > America dollars. you will then proceed to Ghana for > collection. I suppose with all that, I could afford to buy the SDMB a few new hampsters! ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/13 "2002-08-25T17:23:26Z")
Yeah well, that shows how _unimportant_ you are. I got mine in 1998. But please, don’t just pile outside my door waiting for my autograph. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/14 "2002-08-25T17:50:00Z")
Yeah, I got one about a month ago… on an address I ALMOST never use anymore… he really should update, I almost missed it.😃 About a week after that I got a letter from a friend telling me it was a scam. Such a sweet man! I wrote him back and said I had figured that out based on the college eddycation I gots back thar in the Aities… But it was nice of him to be concerned for me. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finally-got-the-nigeran-scam-letter-wooohoooo/125118/15 "2002-08-25T19:28:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corbomite \* > \*\*FCM - many a humourous quip have you writ. That randy comment is priceless. \*\* Ahhhh, I love getting fan mail from the little people!!! [sub]Thanks for the kind words! You made my day… :D[/sub]