# Nigerian Roommate scam? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 12, 2006, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106 "2006-07-12T00:29:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/1 "2006-07-12T00:29:55Z")
Recently while searching for a roommate, I received some weird replies: > [@](#): > > I am Roke Best ,i was just looking through criaglist and i saw your advert for an avalability of room and a roommate in la and i think i am interested in knowing much about it. 1) I will like to have the exact rent fee per month plus the utilities. 2) I will also like to know if I can make an advance payment ahead my arrival that will be stand as a kind of commitment that I am truely coming over and for you to hold the room down for me,maximum lease period 3]payment mode. I will be very glad to have all this questions answered with out leaving a stone unturned… Here is all I can say about my self for now. I am 25 years old female and I work as a fashion designer and stylist, I was born Was born in east london, but I was brought up in west africa in the city of abuja ,i am presently in west africa were i am doing some few works but I am looking to own my own fashion house . I am looking forward to come settle down too in u s a. I am a VERY out going person and fun to > be with. I do play the organ and piano, . I don,t drink and I don’t smoke and I don’t do drugs. I think you will like living with me YES I would like to go out with you on weekends and weeknights when we are both free. I like going to movies, concerts , plays, I like camping, hiking, bike ridding, swimming, and I love to travel. I am a very dedicated individual who is totally committed to human development, friendly, very trustworthy and value Relationship above Anything. I love traveling, sporting and enjoy meeting people around the world. I am an easy going person and like to have An apartment/roommate that is very responsible and understanding, someone I can really get along with. I will take my time to get you one of my pictures in my next email, so you can know how I look like, I am sure you will like me. I am presently in london and I will be moving to the state to fully to start a new life and get my fashion business on track after Years of service in a freinds > fashion home… I will be staying in your apartment for A 2 months or More. Or less depending On how the lease is drawn I will be arriving the state on before 3rd of jan 2006…Fortunately, I saw your advert on roommate and I am sincerely Interested in the room as advertised If you think I will be a good roommate to you and you are interested in roomies with me kindly email me directly to my personal email box And: > [@](#): > > HELLO > my name is diana lopez am 26 years of age a citizen of united state of america. atlanta georgia, i went to lincoln university oakland were i graduated as a business admistrator. > presently i marry at united kingdom in north london and i want to relocate to united state because my husband has been a problem to me just because i lost my father and he as been treating me so bad because of his wealth and the money he has and to be given to me and now i have divorce him. > i make friend easyly and play alot with children and also i care for people around me i share fealings with people i know. > am very much interested in your apartment. > your faithfully LOVLEEN. Is this a new scam? Should I send my bank account info so they can prepay my rent? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/2 "2006-07-12T00:52:31Z")
There is a type of scam involving fake money orders where they offer to pay in advance and then send a phoney money order which is written for substantially more than the required sum. They ask you to deduct what they owe you and then send them the rest of the cash. These smell like that kind of scam. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/3 "2006-07-12T04:04:21Z")
But she said she would be willing to go out with me… ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/4 "2006-07-12T04:38:48Z")
Absolutely, it’s a scam. I work in a property management office and we got a spate of these about three months ago. I now have collected three fake money orders. 🙂 I know it’s silly to play along, but I couldn’t resist. And besides, while they’re “scamming”, maybe it’s keeping them busy and away from someone else? I hope so. Anyway, the money orders look good, but the bank was in one part of the US, the address was in another, and the envelope was stamped and postmarked from Nigeria. The money orders are made out [to my dog](http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/savannah_sobriquet/PDRM4779.jpg), by the way. Just in case I was tempted to take that $20,000 to the bank and deposit it, ‘just to see’… ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/5 "2006-07-12T04:41:48Z")
> [@](#): > > In addition, we want you to be aware of the more common techniques that are being used to steal personal and financial information. Phishing is a type of fraud that is designed to trick individuals into disclosing confidential and financial information for the purpose of identity theft. As a general rule you should not provide your confidential and financial information over the internet in response to unsolicited requests you receive. > > Identification Tips: > > ``` > * Most phishing originates from a fake website and may look similar to a legitimate URL > > ``` > > \*\* \* Offer includes cashier cheque and/or money order > \* Offer requires personal and/or financial information > \* Frauder tries traveler checks to pay in advance for rent and then tries to get a refund for the deposit\*\* In the cases earlier this year, the “potential tenant” sent us “money orders” (sorry, quotation marks seem to abound with me tonight) and then, oops! they can’t come here and rent the place, after all! Please refund the money… ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/6 "2006-07-12T04:42:12Z")
Aaaaaah… he’s so cute. You should definately bring him down to the bank and get him that $20,000. ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/7 "2006-07-12T07:17:20Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > The money orders are made out [to my dog](http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i285/savannah_sobriquet/PDRM4779.jpg), by the way. Just in case I was tempted to take that $20,000 to the bank and deposit it, ‘just to see’… Most. Adorable. Dog. Ever. [/hijack] Yeah - there’s a faint aroma of scam about those emails. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/8 "2006-07-12T07:49:50Z")
I don’t get it - this Nigerian scam operation must be huge (and fairly profitable) - so what’s with the shitty grammar and obnoxious random capitalization? ---
**Author:** ![shizaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shizaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shizaru)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/9 "2006-07-12T08:28:51Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > I don’t get it - this Nigerian scam operation must be huge (and fairly profitable) - so what’s with the shitty grammar and obnoxious random capitalization? I have an even bigger question… **Who the hell ever falls for these scams?** Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/10 "2006-07-12T09:22:18Z")
> [@shizaru](#): > > I have an even bigger question… **Who the hell ever falls for these scams?** Seriously. Why, the unwashed masses of American suburbanites, of course. You fall for faith healers, you’ll fall for anything. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/11 "2006-07-12T13:19:35Z")
My company, a community foundation, has a general contact email option on our website. There are a lot of nonprofit organizations who go to our website who are really searching for information on how to submit a grant application, however, every now and then we get a bizarre email from a prince, or a “hard Working social worker in A Small Community in africa serving children with aids” who wants us to send them some cash. Um…no. Of course, I get the pleasure of reading these requests (I usually don’t read past the first line), but really, do they think we’re going to just hand over the money? Sometimes I want to write back and tell them off, but I don’t. But only because I know they probably wouldn’t get the email (even if the account was still active), or they are unlikely to understand what I would be saying, since I’d use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation and all. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/12 "2006-07-12T13:37:56Z")
I get this one _all the time_. Instead of repeating myself, here’s a [linky](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6592699#post6592699). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/13 "2006-07-12T13:42:06Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > I don’t get it - this Nigerian scam operation must be huge (and fairly profitable) - so what’s with the shitty grammar and obnoxious random capitalization? I think it’s all part of the con…the mark thinks “Ah, these simple darkies, can’t even write the white man’s language, I have nothing to fear” and BOOM. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/14 "2006-07-12T17:59:00Z")
Well, I decided to respond to my friends in Africa. I replied to each, but one was no longer a valid email. This is what I wrote to ‘roke’, who expressed an interest in going out with me: > [@](#): > > Hello. My room is still available for rent. Please send me more information if you are still interested. Thank you! I look forward to a good arrangement. Also, you mentioned that you would be willing to go out with me on weekends. Could you please include a picture so that I may know what you look like? Thank you. That was last night. This morning I recieved this reply. > [@](#): > > Hello Owner, > > I got your mail. it is me Roke Best. and i really interested in ur room since you said you are not expecting it to be too long and i don’t want you to rent it out to any other person… I will inform my client to forward the check of my last payment so that you can get the money of the room. I’m a quiet, kind, loyal. A great meaning for me is ahuman’s soul. Circle of my interests is various. I like the literature, music, and cinema. personality traits are; calm, honest, kind, loyal, flexible,elegant, sociable, sensitive, gentle, cheerful, optimistic, romantic and i love travelling, sporting and enjoy meeting people. i don’t smoke or drink but i do not mind people who do being around me. Am cool headed and easy going person with no criminal record and i like to have a roommmate or neighabour who is very responsible and understanding, someone i can really get a long. Am very understanding,open minded with a heart of forgiving, loving and caring with sense of humor, hard working with cheerful character, honest, sincere, kind, warm and intelligent with good look. As soon as you recieve the check all you got to do is to deduct first month rent and you now help me to forward the remanning balance to my traveling agent in the states so that i can use it to get my return ticket to the states. I will like to have ur full name and ur home address that the check will be address to you to and another information so the check will be forward to you as soon as possible. I just want to make sure i get the room before i get back to the state. I will love stay there for a year even more that till when i will have my own personal place but I will prefer month to month lease. I will try to call you before i get back to the states. I hope to hear from you soon. And your phone number > Thx So Much > Roke Best. These pictures were attached: [Pic](http://www.gabemartinez.com/sandrajpg1.jpg) [Pic 2](http://www.gabemartinez.com/2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/15 "2006-07-12T18:00:02Z")
I welcome your suggestions on how I should respond to this siren. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/16 "2006-07-12T18:07:35Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > These pictures were attached: > [Pic](http://www.gabemartinez.com/sandrajpg1.jpg) > [Pic 2](http://www.gabemartinez.com/2.jpg) HAHAHAHAHAHAH that is so funny. Note how the girl’s name is supposed to be “Roke,” but the first pic is called “sandrapic.” What’s sad, though, is there are probably many people who would fall for this. By the way, where do they get these stupid names? “Roke Best?” What the hell kind of name is that? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/17 "2006-07-12T19:06:13Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > I welcome your suggestions on how I should respond to this siren. Why not send back a photo of yourself? Here, [this one oughta do.](http://www.dailyhog.com/images/fester.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/18 "2006-07-12T19:51:22Z")
> [@shizaru](#): > > I have an even bigger question… **Who the hell ever falls for these scams?** Seriously. Sadly, it appears that Mary Winkler, who killed her preacher husband in Tennessee, earlier this year, may have been taken in by such scammers, and the murder was spurred by a heated argument between the couple over the family finances which were in ruins because of it. > [@](#): > > [Booth said that shortly before the killing, Mary Winkler had shifted money between at least two banks in what he described as a “check kiting” scam. She deposited checks totaling $17,500 in family bank accounts from unidentified sources in Canada and Nigeria, he said. > > The checks and money exchanges were not detailed in court, but defense lawyers said Mary Winkler was the victim of a financial scam.]([http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/ap/0706/0301\_winkler\_killed\_money.html](http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/ap/0706/0301_winkler_killed_money.html)) ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/19 "2006-07-12T20:32:58Z")
I read about someone falling for the classic Nigerian Scam in Reader’s Digest. This man was a minister and ended up cleaning out the church’s coffers to help his Nigerian friends. Even as he was being taken to jail he was still convinced that the people he had been corresponding with really needed his help. My husband got one of these in response to an ad on Craigslist for drum lessons. The writer kept referring to the lessons as “lectures”. The supposed names for his children who would be attending the “lectures” were hysterical but I can’t remember what they were. Too bad. He just placed another ad at Craigslist so maybe he’ll get another. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106/20 "2006-07-12T20:36:25Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Why not send back a photo of yourself? > Here, [this one oughta do.](http://www.dailyhog.com/images/fester.jpg) Ha! I’m going to send that. Will post my reply soon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nigerian-roommate-scam/364106.md?page=2)