# Scam email I received. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 7, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976 "2018-09-07T21:38:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/1 "2018-09-07T21:38:01Z")
This is interesting. None of the names match. The state doesn’t match. How did they expect this to work? “Mark L. Haskins, who claimed that you have authorized her…” > [@Scammer](#): > > Attn:My Dear, > > RE: CHANGE OF YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS. > We have received an official notification on 07-09-2018 from Mark L. > Haskins, who claimed that you have authorized her to handle everything? > concerning the release of your inheritance Fund which is US$16.5 Million as > she has confirmed to us that you are now in the Hospital taking care of > your cancer illness. > > Meanwhile, in the consideration to the our Official code of conduct and > services here in Nigeria, we deem it necessary that we should get in touch > with you first for confirmation before we can proceed with her request. > Therefore, we need your prompt instruction to proceed with her in this > matter for the purpose of remitting the fund to her nominative bank > account details below:- > > Bank: Bank of America > Address: 1143 Nashville Pike > Gallatin, Tennessee 37066 > Account Name: Mark Haskins > Account Number: 483032646884 > Routing Numbers: > Electronic Transfer: 064000020 > Wire Transfer: 026009593 > Bank Phone: (615) 451-0829 > > The release of the fund will be fixed as soon as we receive your prompt > response to this message. it is very important that you should get in > touch with us for immediate confirmation to enable us transfer this money > to her above mentioned bank account as you instructed. > > NOTE: Failure to reply will give us no other option than to believe you > are the one that give her the power to receive the payment on your behalf > and enable us to proceed to complete the transfer to her above nominative > bank account.MR FRANK ALEX, on his Official email address > ([farnk\_alex@outlook.com](mailto:farnk_alex@outlook.com)) soon as you receive this message. > Yours faithfully, > Mr James Onah, > Thanks and best regards. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/2 "2018-09-07T21:41:18Z")
Man that’s really bad work. Even if I wanted to get scammed I wouldn’t know how to give them what they want. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/3 "2018-09-07T21:45:25Z")
Hey, the phone number is real! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/4 "2018-09-07T21:48:16Z")
I don’t really understand your question, what are you thinking is supposed to match what (other than the male/female error obviously)? I’ve read that they don’t pay much attention to the plausibility or writing style of the email, because they only want responses from people who aren’t astute enough to know the difference. I don’t think anything depends on those bank instructions. All that will happen as usual if you get in touch is that you’ll be drawn into something that involves you sending some admin fee somewhere in order for you to receive your millions. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/5 "2018-09-07T22:00:23Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I don’t really understand your question, what are you thinking is supposed to match what (other than the male/female error obviously)? I guess it’s more of a “Look at this dumb ass attempt at scamming”. I would think they’d at least have the state I live in. But they just need a few dummies to respond, I guess. Interestingly, I got a more elaborate attempt from an investment company in Tennessee a few minutes later. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/6 "2018-09-07T22:04:12Z")
Them kooky Nigerians!! Will they ever give up? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/7 "2018-09-07T22:13:11Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Them kooky Nigerians!! Will they ever give up? You would think they have made enough scam money by now to retire in luxury. What are they, greedy? ---
**Author:** ![Map\_Ylow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/map_ylow/32/85_2.png) [@Map\_Ylow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Map_Ylow)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/8 "2018-09-07T23:38:18Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > You would think they have made enough scam money by now to retire in luxury. What are they, greedy? Ah, but all those princes are stealing the funds to funnel to us poor unsuspecting schmucks… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/9 "2018-09-07T23:46:04Z")
It’s a switcheroo, see. You’re supposed to give them your information so they _won’t_ steal all your money. Boy, that’s a tricky one. Plus, and also, you have sekrit money somewhere. Better get that too! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/10 "2018-09-07T23:50:26Z")
Dammit, I just want my 16 mill and change! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/11 "2018-09-08T05:52:59Z")
You need to upgrade your spam filters if this thing got through. I haven’t seen a Nigerian scam in a decade at least. If they are thinking at all, it would be the hope that some idiot thinks he got it by mistake and is going to make a bundle by stealing this money from Mark L. Haskins (Mrs.). And for a second I thought it was signed by someone named Onan. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/12 "2018-09-08T12:53:51Z")
This is a common form of the 419 scam. They are hoping you think you’ve stumbled onto a lucky break. This was intended to go to the “right” person and it went to you instead. All you have to do is throw out your ethics, pretend to be the “right” person, play along, give them your bank info, prepay some fees, etc. and millions of dollars are yours! I went thru my spam folders of some little used gmail accounts the other day. One of them (and just that one) had spam that was almost entirely 419 scams. (Another had no spam at all, as usual. Nice.) ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/13 "2018-09-08T15:42:45Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > If they are thinking at all, it would be the hope that some idiot thinks he got it by mistake and is going to make a bundle by stealing this money from Mark L. Haskins (Mrs.). > [@ftg](#): > > This is a common form of the 419 scam. They are hoping you think you’ve stumbled onto a lucky break. This was intended to go to the “right” person and it went to you instead. All you have to do is throw out your ethics, pretend to be the “right” person, play along, give them your bank info, prepay some fees, etc. and millions of dollars are yours! I got one of these the other day, and figured that they were trying to get me to try to scam them back, as you suggested, but what I wondered was, is this a _two-level_ scam? That is, sure I might try to send them the “correct” information, but maybe, (if I were _clever!_), I might try to use those contact details to suck the money out of their account they way they do it to others. Now, if you did that, would they be able to catch you at it? And if so, couldn’t they then turn around and straight-up extort money out of you, under the threat of them reporting you to the police for attempted theft? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/14 "2018-09-08T17:36:58Z")
For whatever reason I don’t get the 419 scams. What I get are phishing attempts. There’s a problem with my bank accounts. My Amazon order has shipped. My email account will be locked if I don’t click on the link and confirm my account info. Please confirm my order for illegal porn. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/15 "2018-09-08T17:51:20Z")
I have account problems at banks where I don’t have any accounts. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/16 "2018-09-08T19:29:20Z")
What I like are the phony ones for LinkedIn. I’d get several a day saying my profile was searched X times in the past week. So seeing the same subject in my spam box for different emails with different Xs is interesting. Apparently the number of searches per week is a random number on LinkedIn. If I was in the spam-malware business my first choice would be “You’ve won a $50 gift card from WalMart.” type things. Small, kind of plausible. And getting several of those a week (with different stores/amounts) doesn’t stand out as much as those tinnitus ones. Same subject, etc. over and over for months. Right, those are not iffy at all. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-email-i-received/820976/17 "2018-09-08T19:53:20Z")
One day there were 45 lovely Russian ladies anxious to meet me.