# My first Nigerian e-scam. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 25, 2010, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688 "2010-05-25T11:05:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BunnyTVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BunnyTVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyTVS)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/1 "2010-05-25T11:05:31Z")
I wondered why everyone else got them but not me. Was there something wrong with me (apart from the obvious)? Did they think my money was worthless? Or did they just realise that I wouldn’t fall for their lousy speling missedspacesand, punctuation? > [@Shell(really?)](#): > > Shell FoundationShell Centre,London SE1 7NA UK. > > Dear:Beneficiary, > > You were chosen by the board of trustees of Shell Foundation as oneof the final recipients worldwide to receive free cash Grant of$2,000,000.00 USD. The Foundation was established in the year 2000 byShell Multi-Million Groups and is now supported by the United Nations(UN). > > The Grant was based on random selection exercises of database of E-mailaddresses on internet websites worldwide,and the Globe divided into Zones.No tickets were sold but all email addresses were assigned to differentticket numbers for representation and privacy. > > You are hereby informed that yours falls to our African Zone,hence you areto paid by our African Zonal Centre. > > For claims,you are to directly contact our assigned Finance Manager in ourAfrican Zonal Centre,quoting your Qualification No:(UK-222-6747,AF-900-56). > > * * * > > Name: Rev. Chris GordonPhone: +2347025976841E-mail: [africanzonalcentre@shellfoundation-online.net](mailto:africanzonalcentre@shellfoundation-online.net) > > * * * > > Furthermore,below is the Verification Form you are to fill when contactingthe Finance Manager. > > 1.FULL NAMES:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 2.ADDRESS:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 3.SEX:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 4.AGE:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 5.MARITAL STATUS:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 6.OCCUPATION:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 7.TELEPHONE NUMBER:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 8.CITY:/COUNTRY:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > 9.WINNING ZONE:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > > NOTE: You are to indicate your prefered choice of payment as stated below. > > 1. Payment by Bank Transfer: > 2. Payment by Certified Cheque: > > Be advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the endof proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. On behalf of the Board kindly accept our warmest congratulations. > > Mrs. Elizabeth DicksonGrant Co-ordinator. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/2 "2010-05-25T11:11:00Z")
Isn’t it interesting how an organization in the UK is giving out grants in USD? What’s even more interesting is that people continue to fall for this idiocy. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/3 "2010-05-25T13:03:45Z")
There’s always a man of the cloth in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/4 "2010-05-25T13:51:17Z")
Surely you’re going to reply. It can be fun to correspond with imaginary people in other countries. Just create a separate email account…oh and ask for pictures. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/5 "2010-05-25T14:26:52Z")
They’re getting lazier and lazier. It used to be a long letter describing the war plundering or “leftover money” from some transaction that for some reason needs to be moved to the US. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/6 "2010-05-25T15:13:04Z")
I got my 1st one within the last 6 months or so. Like the OP, I was always like, “WTF? Why don’t I get these fun scam emails? I’m not cool enough!!” Now I just think, “Who the eff keeps falling for these and perpetuating the cycle? Someone out there _still_ hasn’t heard of the Nigerian email scam? Seriously?!?” But at least I’m cool enough to join the club of those who have received the missive. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/7 "2010-05-25T16:41:53Z")
You have to string this scumbag along, there are great “scam the scammer” threads here in the SDMB archives, as well as on 419eater dot com… here’s how I’d fill out the “demographic” questions; 1.FULL NAMES:_Ka D’argo Tretal 2.ADDRESS:Hammond side quarters, Moya, 3.SEX:Yes, Please?_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 4.AGE:_42 Yahrens_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 5.MARITAL STATUS:_Single_\_\_\_\_\_ 6.OCCUPATION:_Soldier/commando_ 7.TELEPHONE NUMBER:_1-555-248-3631 x666_ (1-555-biteme1) 8.CITY:/COUNTRY:_Uncharted Territories_ 9.WINNING ZONE:_Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha_ ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/8 "2010-05-25T17:36:54Z")
Well now that you’ve joined the club you can get all the good offers. Just this week the FBI approved the deposit to my account of several million dollars from a dying woman in the UK whose family has engaged in debauchery and are therefore ineligible to inherit. I was tempted to reply that the FBI clearly needs to practice their investigative skills 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BunnyTVS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BunnyTVS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyTVS)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/9 "2010-05-25T17:58:22Z")
If they’d sent it to one of my junk mail accounts I might have considered stringing them along for a while. As it was my main e-mail that got it, ain’t no way I’m letting them know it’s an active address. Mind you, doing a version of the Hitch-hikers audio book on them is very appealing. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-first-nigerian-e-scam/540688/10 "2010-05-25T18:42:27Z")
Hey, I once lost 3 relatives who were like 15th cousins twice removed to car crashes in Nigeria, all in the space of a week. But I was somewhat cheered when I won the Canadian lottery.