# Unwittingly dragged into the middle of a scam. Yipe! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505 "2008-12-24T05:03:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/1 "2008-12-24T05:03:06Z")
Okay, not the _middle_ of a scam, but the periphery – a very awkward position either way. Sorry in advance for the length… I live in an apartment building. A neighbor on my floor, whom I know enough only to say ‘hi’ and ‘how are you’ to now and then, got into the elevator with me and after a little chatting, suddenly asked me if I had a computer. I said yes – I assumed he was gonna ask for recommendations for purchasing one. How wrong I was! He asked if he could come over and use it to send an email to his attorney, as his own PC was on the fritz and he really needed to send this ASAP since it related to an inheritence. Being a sap who can’t say no, I said yes. He also mentioned that he had a girlfriend who was helping out in a foreign country with some legal matters, as his relatives were leaving him a significant fortune. I was all, hey, pretty sweet for this guy. Didn’t think much of it. So later this guy, let’s call him Fred, came to my place and after I set him up with my computer, he happily started to type this email. Now the first thing I noticed was that he’d written a draft out by hand, which I thought was kinda cute (he’s an older gentleman, probably nearing 70 or older). He also had several faxes and Western Union receipts and so on. I still didn’t think much of it. I was off reading a magazine while he was typing. At one point he had trouble because he accidentally deleted the message by hitting the wrong key, so I returned to the computer to help him out and was able to retrieve the text (CTRL-Z is a godsend). As I did, I glanced at the screen and saw that his email included the words LAGOS, NIGERIA and some lawyers’ names. Suddenly I was no longer ‘not thinking much of it.’ Red flags up the wazoo, y’know? I stared at it like an idjit for a little while and finally got up the courage to say: “Um, Fred, I’m sorry and I don’t mean to pry, but I just noticed that you’re writing to Nigeria…?” “Yes, that’s where my girlfriend lives now. She’s originally from Canada, she’s a lawyer.” “Uh huh. Because … well, you know, there are a lot of scams that originate out of Nigeria. People pretend to be sending you huge sums of money and–” “Oh I know, it’s terrible, isn’t it? No, this inheritence is from my aunt and uncle, they were Canadian and they moved to Nigeria and made a huge fortune there.” I nodded and after a hesitation, went back to my magazine. After all, if this guy’s actual girlfriend is involved, and this inheritence was from his known Aunt and/or Uncle, it seemed less like a scam and more kosher. Maybe. A few minutes later, Fred yet again screwed up the email message and deleted the text. Since this was taking a ridiculously long time and I was getting impatient to get back to my PC – and okay, to be honest by now I really really wanted a good look at this letter – I piped up and offered to type the letter for him. He was grateful and I took my seat as he dictated. This is what his email said: * * * LL _{this is the name of his girlfriend}_ I want you to say this was entirely your idea and your nickel when you speak to Jonathan Goldring (JG) in the AM. JG’s Tel: +44 701-XXX-XXXX. I also request that you e-mail JG @ [southbankbarristerslondon@XXXXX.co.uk](mailto:southbankbarristerslondon@XXXXX.co.uk). Also e-mail Donald Travers @ [donaldtravers@XXXX.com](mailto:donaldtravers@XXXX.com). Also e-mail me @ _{Fred’s email}_. MTCN: 474-263-XXXX (MQ to LL) MTCN: (Amechi to PD) LANRE ADEWALE PATRICK DANIELS LAGOS NlGERIA LAGOS NlGERIA (Q) What is pet’s name (Q) What is pet’s name (A) _{Fred’s pet name}_ (A) _{Fred’s pet name}_ You will be receiving $6,200 from Finance House Bank. You will be acting as my attorney. The money is to be spent as follows: $2,000 to Mr. Nwoha Emmanuel. NE is the Reverand Peter Williams’ minion. So first you call Barrister Gideon Felton: +234-708-XXX-XXXX to ascertain the truth or not of my other $11.5 million inheritance. Follow-up with the Reverand Dr. Peter Williams: +234-803-XXX-XXXX. Next contact Stella Mohammed. SM works at Guinness Lagos Nigeria. I won the $50 million Guinness lottery in the spring. Take her for cocktails, and if she says we can still do it, give her the $1200 she needs. These are some of the factors that might bear on getting these funds out from both parties. 1. Financial Services Act. On my $5.5 million - $950. 2. Inland Revenue Tax. $5,500. 3. Certificate of Origin and Document: $3,100. 4. Patriot’s Act and Document: $8,000 5. Bank Transfer Tax: $2,100 Now I cannot predict how much more or less of the $11.5 million might be required by these various agencies, nor can I predict how much of the $50 million Guinness Lottery might be similarly required. Love, Fred * * * BTW, these alleged lawyers’ email addresses are all yahoo / msn-type addresses. Really professional, y’know. Anyway, by the time he got to the ‘Guinness Lottery’ bullshit, of course, I knew this guy was clearly falling for the Nigerian 419 scam. Nevertheless I finished the letter, the whole time my mind churning with ways I could tell him what was going on that wouldn’t make him feel like an utter fool. When done, I turned to him and said: “Fred, please excuse me, in all good conscience I must ask you – are you _sure_ this is legit? This really doesn’t sound right.” “I know, I’ve asked my girlfriend who’s going to meet with this Stella person and she’ll ascertain whether the whole thing’s legitimate.” “And … you say this girlfriend is an attorney?” “Yes, she’s really a quick thinker.” “Do you …” (I tried to think of a tactful way to frame this…) “Do you _know_ this girlfriend in person? I mean, you’ve met her and everything?” “Sure, I met her here. She went to (name of respected law school in NYC), that’s where we met.” At this point my mind was unable to come up with any non-obnoxious ways to get this guy to give me more details – remember, I barely know him – and finally he left, after having printed the letter out. He also showed me one of the faxes sent by this alleged barrister “Donald Travers,” with the letterhead from FINANCIAL HOUSE BANK (the logo of which looks whipped up in MS Works or Paint – not even Word!). So now I’m sitting here, well aware that this guy has been sending money to these fuckers (the Western Union receipts made that clear), and he’s almost certainly lying to me about this ‘aunt/uncle’ thing (presumably because he doesn’t want to admit that he’s trying to get something for nothing) – and also about this ‘girlfriend’ (who’s probably not even a woman, but who’s flirting/seducing him via email in order to gain his trust). And this guy, judging from the email he just sent, is planning to send even more. At this point I feel absolutely obligated to say something. I’m aware that this man is being defrauded, and I just feel sick about this knowledge. I can’t say _nothing_. But I don’t know what _something_ to say. How in God’s name do I phrase this to him? I’m thinking of printing out information about 419 scams and giving the pages for him to read. How do I do this tactfully? Things will be pretty damn awkward if I tell him. And I keep thinking about that financier who committed suicide over the Madoff scandal … not that I seriously think Fred’s going to off himself because he fell for a notorious scam, but still. YUCK. All this angst because I was a sap who couldn’t turn down the request of a neighbor. Any advice, people? ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/2 "2008-12-24T05:27:11Z")
Tell him you have an ‘extra secure’ lawyer approved hotline for only $100/min.? Surely worth it to protect the millions he has coming, after all. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/3 "2008-12-24T05:54:45Z")
Oh, you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/4 "2008-12-24T05:58:47Z")
I don’t know if you can call the FBI scamwatch people on his behalf, but ultimately I don’t think there’s anything you can do. You raised your concerns, he dismissed them and advised reasons why. Unfortunately, he’s a big boy and has to take his own lumps. And as horrible as it would be to see a nice older gent who’s somewhat friendly be taken for a ride and his savings, keeping on about it is sure to alienate him more in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/5 "2008-12-24T06:06:05Z")
If he wants to fall for a scam and is that stubborn about it, I’m not going to feel a ton of pity for him. I’d have told him even more bluntly than you “You know this is a scam and they are just stealing from you, right?”, it doesn’t matter how well I know him. Then if he still doesn’t want to listen, at that point my conscience is clear that I warned him, and anything he chooses to do with his money is his own damn fault. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/6 "2008-12-24T06:27:49Z")
[Guinness Lottery Scam](http://www.svbizlaw.com/lottery.guinnessnigeria.htm) Loads of hits on google. Maybe print a few out and let him read them? (Or slide them under his door, or put them in an envelope and tape them to his door so that he won’t be embarrassed?) ---
**Author:** ![MsJinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@MsJinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsJinx)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/7 "2008-12-24T07:40:00Z")
Have you thought about the fact that your personal computer was used, and something could be traced back to you? I’d be a bit worried about that. You might want to CYA someway. ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/8 "2008-12-24T13:31:39Z")
Holy crap! I would: 1. Update your firewall and virus software. 2. Update any operating system patches that are available. 3. Hit [GRC.com](http://GRC.com) and run their Shields Up scan. 4. Check if you have a fixed IP address. 5. Print examples of the 419 and Guinness scams with links, and throw them in his mailbox. 6. Never mention it again. AFAIC that would be the end of it. From your end it’s more or less karma neutral, since those scams won’t work without a huge slice of greed and dishonesty on the part of the scamee. With the info you provide, at least he has the tools to cut his losses. But even so, ick! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/9 "2008-12-24T16:49:20Z")
Make him up a printed page that simply states 1. You are being scammed. 2. Thousands of people have fallen for it before. 3. Just like I’d call the cops if I saw you being robbed, I couldn’t in good conscience watch you get conned. Here is more info. (Copy and paste info from online.) ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/10 "2008-12-24T16:59:32Z")
> [@Jaglavak](#): > > Holy crap! I would: > > 1. Update your firewall and virus software. > 2. Update any operating system patches that are available. > 3. Hit [GRC.com](http://GRC.com) and run their Shields Up scan. > 4. Check if you have a fixed IP address. > 5. Print examples of the 419 and Guinness scams with links, and throw them in his mailbox. > 6. Never mention it again. :dubious: That’s a bit much for sending a webmail to some guy in a rundown internet cafe, don’t you think? That’s a bad spot **choie** … don’t know what more I could do myself there. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/11 "2008-12-24T17:11:02Z")
Hi guys, thanks for the advice so far! Part of my nagging feelings of responsibility are indeed due to my letting him use the computer (and even typing the letter, for pete’s sake). I know I did bring up the scam idea so perhaps some think I’ve done enough to make this poor shnook aware of what he’s doing, but as **Rigamarole** implies, I was pretty freakin’ wimpy about it while trying to avoid confrontation and out of fear of making him feel bad. If I’d been as straightforward as I should’ve been, my conscience would be much clearer and I’d be more willing to shrug my shoulders and say, “well, I told him what I could, it’s his decision now.” **Jaglavak** , I’m not concerned about the virus stuff, because all he did was go to Yahoo, compose a letter, and send it – he didn’t read any new emails or visit any sites or anything like that. Or is there another reason you think my PC’s at risk? **Johnny L.A.** and **Cat Fight** , I like the idea of writing him a note (to save him embarrassment – and my own discomfort I admit) and attaching the informational pages about 419 stuff. I’d been thinking of printing this stuff out anyway, but the idea of a note instead of a face-to-face thing appeals to me. I think seeing it in print will give it more weight; that’s probably why he’s so gullible anyway, he’s probably one of those folks who believes anything that he reads. BTW, I suspect in addition to the lottery/inheritance scam, he’s also being hit by the dating scam – the name of this ‘girlfriend’ of his is mentioned a few times on [419eater.com](http://419eater.com) as a notorious scam artist who manipulates and ‘seduces’ guys via email and gets them involved in this crap. I know that part of the insidiousness of these scams is that they _do_ prey on people’s baser desires to get something for nothing, to feel important. I think that’s why this guy is lying to me about the real story (whatever it is) behind his so-called inheritance and how he met his ‘girlfriend’. The scammers count on people jumping in with both feet and not doing too much research, and they bully and intimidate and so on. Their methods are to make the victims feel complicit. Probably why so many people don’t report this fraud. (Not that there’s much anyone can do about it.) Anyway, if anyone else has ideas or experience with this sort of thing, I’ll definitely be interested in hearing it! Thanks very much again to all. What an utterly bizarre situation to find myself in. It’s gonna be _very_ weird to see this guy in the hallway… ---
**Author:** ![Breccia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Breccia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breccia)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/12 "2008-12-24T18:26:10Z")
with regard to Jaglavak’s recommendation (post #8), protecting your computer \*IS \*necessary. In the hysterical 2006 story (linked below) the scammed scammer immediately hit back at his would-be victim’s computer, albeit with a weak e-mail virus. [http://consumerist.com/consumer/ebay/that-other-broken-laptop-i-sold-on-ebay-p+p+p+powerbook-177688.php](http://consumerist.com/consumer/ebay/that-other-broken-laptop-i-sold-on-ebay-p+p+p+powerbook-177688.php) If I failed to link properly, I’m sorry, I’ll figure it out. The (almost) complete tale can be found at: > **[NewsSocket.com is for sale | HugeDomains](https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=newssocket.com)** > > This domain is for sale! Fast and easy shopping. Trusted and secure since 2005. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/13 "2008-12-24T18:29:41Z")
Maybe you could show him this educational video: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1nKR3gYRY8) ---
**Author:** ![Breccia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Breccia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breccia)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/14 "2008-12-24T18:30:07Z")
opps, sorry, I neglected to read that your neighbor had only sent an e-mail through yahoo! Shouldn’t be any way for the scammer to track your home computer. ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/15 "2008-12-25T00:16:23Z")
OK, if a Yahoo email really is all he did then I doubt if the scammers can find you. Unless they have cracked Yahoo, in which case we’re all screwed. I did a little refresher R&D from the instructions here: [The Ohio State University Technology Support Center](http://8help.osu.edu/3771.html) In the message header is your neighbor’s Yahoo email address as well as the numerical identifier for it. But not yours, unless he sent it under your user name. Interesting side note, I also logged into my Hotmail account and sent an email to myself. When it came through I opened it and saved the page as HTML complete. Then I opened it in assembler language using debug and dumped it to an ASCII text file. Buried in there was this fascinating tidbit: “Prop 8 - The Musical” starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more… from FOD Team, Jack Black, Craig Robinson, John C Reilly, and Rashida Jones" None of that shows when viewing the page. From which I conclude, never seriously piss off a fag. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/16 "2008-12-25T03:49:06Z")
I would find one or more sites with detailed information about this scam, print out the info and give it to him (or put it in the mail) with a note saying something along the lines of “I don’t want to pry into your personal business, but your exchange with these people sounds suspiciously like a known scam and I advise you in the strongest possible terms to check out this information. I don’t want to see you get hurt”, and include the printouts. If he then disregards your advice, it’s on him. [Edit] I know he sent it through yahoo, but keeping your OS, Anti-Virus, spyware, etc, up to date is a good idea regardless and you should take this opportunity to do it. [\Edit] ---
**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:** [December 25, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/17 "2008-12-25T03:58:19Z")
If I caught on to the fact that someone was being scammed in a pigeon drop or similar con, I’d call the cops fast. Is there really no one from local law enforcement who could at least pay this guy a visit (or call in someone from another agency, even Foolish Elders Protective Services) to warn him what’s going on and get the address of a relative(s) who could take action? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/18 "2008-12-25T05:03:20Z")
I was , er… _used_ in a fraud scheme a few years ago. My boss’s boss was submitting forged invoices from a contractor for work that I was actually performing. Before I was hired, whenever the company needed the skills of someone like me, they contracted out to this uber-boss’s husband. He was actually a competent guy and did the work well, so no one made an issue of potential conflicts by contracting with family. But once I was hired, his services were no longer needed, and even though she encouraged ME to bring him in to “consult” for special events, I never did. Anyway, she got around this by continuing to hire him for every special event. She forged service requests from my boss, stating that we had to bring in an outsider because I didn’t have the necessary technical expertise to handle certain special events. Then she forged invoices from the husband’s company for work that wasn’t performed. All the events went off without a hitch, and the contractor guy never actually showed up to do any work, and my boss and I never had a clue this was happening. There was a very loose accounting system, that allowed the uber-boss to juggle and mix the budgets of several departments including ours, so the lower level people never had a clear picture of their expenditures. She bought stuff for one department with another’s money, so the numbers never added up. It was only discovered when a bill went across the desk of a senior VP for work he personally knew I did, and then this whole scheme unraveled. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/19 "2008-12-25T08:09:36Z")
Well, I wrote an extensive letter to the guy and gave it to our doorman, so that he could give it to Fred when Fred goes out to walk his dog. I would have dropped it off underneath his door, but Fred lives with a woman (whom he apparently doesn’t like – I mean, the guy also has this ‘girlfriend’ whom he’d been corresponding with) and I didn’t want her to get the letter by mistake. I attached the Wikipedia entry on Advance Fee scams, an info page on Inheritance scams, and some FTC & FBI informational pages. It was a pretty big packet, actually. Probably said way too much but I wasn’t certain he’d read the attachments, so I tried to cover everything in the letter. To be honest, I might not have been as pointed about things if he hadn’t knocked on my door three times today, probably hoping to use my computer again. (That’ll teach me to be generous!) > [@](#): > > Fred, > > I’m sorry in advance for causing you any distress, but I’m writing this because in good conscience I can’t remain silent: I am 100% certain that you are the victim of a scam. > Over the years I’ve done a great deal of research on internet scams (to assist my design clients who are often getting suspicious emails). In addition, since last night I’ve looked up some of the company names and email addresses contained in that letter you wrote. Perhaps you’ll think it was none of my business, but since my computer has been used, and since I typed the letter, I feel unwittingly complicit in what I believe is a gross abuse of your trust on the part of everyone you’re in contact with. I truly believe I have a responsibility to share this information with you. > > Here are the facts: > > 1. There is no Guinness Lottery. In fact, there is a very common “Lottery Scam” email that uses the alleged ‘Guinness Lottery’ as a way to encourage victims into sending money through nonexistent ‘transfer fees’ and taxes in order to claim this supposed fortune. > > 2)No lottery picks someone at random. If you haven’t actually entered a lottery, there is no way you can have won. > > 1. The “Inheritance Scam” is also part of a well-known con. Like the ‘Lottery Scam’, it is known as an Advance Fee or Nigerian 419 scam – so-called because “419” is the Nigerian legal code statute that’s being broken. These involve emails promising that you’ve come into some massive windfall, possibly some long-lost relative, but also it could be someone claiming that your help is needed to get around legal restrictions, assistance that you’ll be paid for handsomely. The alleged fortune coming to the victim inevitably requires money to be paid by the victim in advance (usually through Western Union, since the recipients are untraceable once the money’s been picked up) before the “inheritance” or “prize” is ever paid. Quite often the target of these scams is also asked to assist in ‘bribing’ officials to speed things along. These are all lies. There is no prize or fortune, and as a result, victims can lose thousands of dollars. > > 2. There is no “Finance House Bank” in London. > > 3. There is no “Southbank Barristers” in London. > > 4. Real attorneys and real bankers will not use free email addresses, such as yahoo, hotmail, [live.com](http://live.com), or gmail. Legitimate law firms and banks’ email addresses will contain their company name. Neither do they refer to themselves as “Barrister \_\_\_\_.” > > 5. The phone number exchange allegedly from the UK (“+44 701”) is actually a relay service that forwards calls to mobile phones in Nigeria. > > 6. I’m afraid there is a known scammer using the email address linda.lopez\_01@xxxxxxxx.xxx who claims to be from another country (sometimes Australia or Canada) now living in Nigeria, and then woos/flirts with victims in order to gain their trust. “She” (probably not a woman—any pictures the target may receive are stolen from model websites) then works with other scammers to extort funds via the above methods. > > Fred, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you to end all contact immediately with these correspondents – every one of them is trying to scam you, and in fact it’s quite likely that all of these names and addresses belong to only one person. If you believe me and the backup research I’m attaching to this message, you will probably be tempted to write back and get explanations or express your anger at them – this is only human – but I beg you to resist this. They will usually respond with insults and intimidation and even possibly threats of violence or so-called legal repercussions. They may even try to send a computer virus through the email. There is simply no purpose in distressing yourself further. The wisest thing to do is to delete that yahoo address and do not access it again. > > Your email indicated that you’ve already sent money, which I’m sorry to say will probably be unrecoverable. I am attaching several pages with information about these scams, and addresses/phone numbers you can contact to report this crime. Unfortunately, as these criminals are overseas and pretty much anonymous, there is little legal recourse available. However it is important that you report the crime to the authorities, as every bit of information helps. > > Please know that this is a very, very common situation to which thousands have fallen prey. More than $150 million has been lost to these scam artists each year. I sincerely hope you do not continue this correspondence so that you’ll lose no further money. If you don’t believe me, please contact a real, legitimate attorney here in New York (not “Linda”) for advice – Legal Aid is one good lowcost option. There are also hundreds and hundreds of websites with information about 419 / Advance Fee scams. > > The U.S. Secret Service has instructed anyone in the US who has lost funds because of this scam to forward appropriate written documentation to: > > U.S. Secret Service > Financial Crimes Division > 950 H Street, NW, > Washington, DC 20001. > (202) 406-5850 > Or send e-mail to [419.fcd@usss.treas.gov](mailto:419.fcd@usss.treas.gov) > > I hope you will read through the materials attached to gain a further understanding of these scams. I am so, so sorry for what you’ve gone through and what must be feelings of anger and outrage. I wish you all the best luck and hope you will forgive my presumption in writing to you with this information. I mean only to help you avoid wasting more money, time and effort on these criminals. > > Useful websites you can use for research: > [http://www.scamwarners.com/](http://www.scamwarners.com/) > [Are You Up On The Nigerian Scam?.html](http://www.scambusters.org/NigerianFee.html) > [Identity Theft | Consumer Advice](http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/) > [http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/fraudschemes.htm#nigerian](http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/fraudschemes.htm#nigerian) > [http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/fraudschemes.htm#advance](http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/fraudschemes.htm#advance) Was this awful? I suppose now he’ll either hate me or be too embarrassed to talk to me. Admittedly, I’m not that upset either way–I’m kinda creeped out by the whole thing–but we do see each other a couple of times a month passing in the hallway, and I don’t want ugliness or anything. Either way, I did what I could. I hope. ---
**Author:** ![Punintentional](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de0a6/32.png) [@Punintentional](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punintentional)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505/20 "2008-12-25T08:30:49Z")
> [@Jaglavak](#): > > None of that shows when viewing the page. From which I conclude, never seriously piss off a fag. Prick. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unwittingly-dragged-into-the-middle-of-a-scam-yipe/478505.md?page=2)