# What in the hell is this!? (Otherwise known as, This is one weird email!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 12, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157 "2002-12-12T01:27:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/1 "2002-12-12T01:27:11Z")
I got this yesterday, so here ya go… \*\*ATTN: Brent Lumkin , Due to my careful search for an honest, reliable and sincere business partner, i got your contact from the internet and i ask if you can be trusted not to break an agreement? Still, it took me time to make up my mind to contact you and to offer you this proposal of mine of which my whole life depends on. Dear, my name is BANGOURA B.KABILA the son of the late president DR.LAURENT KABILA,the former president of ZAIRE (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO). I am 24 years old and presently residing in DAKAR-SENEGAL in West Africa under political asylum. My mother happens to be a nurse whom the late president had an affair with during his life style as a play boy,and the affair resulted to my birth,but it was unfortunate that the late president did not marry my mother legaly and as a kind of settlement, for my mother and i,my father deposited the sum of Eight Million one Hundred thousand US cash( 8.1 million US. dollars cash) to my mother for my life inheritance. my father stashed these sum of money and deposited it in a financial house in Europe and my name appears as the next of kin. After my father was killed by his body guard ealier last year 2001, and my mother died also ealier this year just two months after my father’s death, and at the age of 24 years old,i am left with this huge sum of money ,and i need a partner who will help me transfer this money oversea for immediate investment as i have made up my mind to invest in your country. Your compensation for your immediate assistance is 5% of the total money as soon as it arrives your country while 2% will be for any local and international expences that will occure during the transfer. I will like truth and honesty to be our watchword in this business. You can contact me through my personal e mail address or via this telephone Yours sincerely, BANGOURA.\*\* …and I replied giving them a line of shit, and they sent me this… \*\*ATTN: Brent Lumkin, I write to confirm the reciept of your mail and wish to thank you very much for making ou time to write me . I also thank you for accepting to assist m in transfering my money to your country for investment which will be to our mutual benefit. With regards to your response, I wish to state here that this transaction is real and is 100% risk free. The money as i told in my first mail, belongs to my father who lost his life during the war in my country. I am now here in dakar-senegal where was deposited. I have been able to re-establish the ownership of the money with the security and finace company with the documents that my father left with me. Now, I am asking you to please, do your best and try to come here to assist me in depositing this money into a bank account here for futhrer transfer to your account in your country. This is because, my statue here as a refuggue does not permit me to open or operate a bank account here. Your coming here will also afford us the opportunity to see ourselfs face to face and discuss in details on the area of investing this money when it is finaly transfered to your bank account in your country. please sir, I will apprecieate you send to me, your telephone number in your nest mail so that I can contact you from here to enable us have a breif discussion. I await for your urgent and prompt response. Best regards, Bangura Kabila.\*\* …now, let’s see a raise of hands of all of those who got this also. What in the world is this just about anyhow? Is it an attempt at a virus, or what? It obviously isn’t any type of chain letter, as most of these are, so it has me confused, and freaked the hell out of me. So tell me, who else has ever got something like this before, and even better… …have you ever recieved a weirder email than this? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/2 "2002-12-12T01:31:55Z")
This seems like an updated Nigerian Scam to me. ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/3 "2002-12-12T01:32:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*This seems like an updated Nigerian Scam to me. \*\* What is the scam though? Would someone actuall be stupid enough to GO to that country? ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/4 "2002-12-12T01:35:15Z")
You got a fine little example of the “Nigerian Letter” It’s a scam. You respond and they tell you, in one form or another, that you’ll get a share of the money if you help. But there’s always a hitch, some government employee that needs to be paid off or something like that. They’ll keep it up until you quit sending them money. I get 2-3 a week. Just delete them. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/5 "2002-12-12T01:35:24Z")
Yeah, do a search on “Nigerian Scam” and you’ll get lots of previous threads. You can also check out Snopes. I’m surprised you haven’t seen it before. I get about one or two a week. And before e-mail I used to receive them by fax and regular mail. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/6 "2002-12-12T01:35:35Z")
Yes. I’d be careful. [http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Nigerian/lotteries.htm](http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Nigerian/lotteries.htm) ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/7 "2002-12-12T01:35:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SandyHook \* > \*\*You got a fine little example of the “Nigerian Letter” It’s a scam. You respond and they tell you, in one form or another, that you’ll get a share of the money if you help. But there’s always a hitch, some government employee that needs to be paid off or something like that. They’ll keep it up until you quit sending them money. > I get 2-3 a week. Just delete them. \*\* Wait, so some people would actually send money!? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/8 "2002-12-12T01:38:38Z")
Yes, actually about a week ago, an old woman called up the Howard Stern morning show about a similar scam. The scammer gave the lady his number, after she had given him 1000 dollars. Think about it this way, if you send out 1 million worms into the ocean, you are bound to get a fish or two. And that’s all you need… ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/9 "2002-12-12T01:40:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*Yes, actually about a week ago, an old woman called up the Howard Stern morning show about a similar scam. The scammer gave the lady his number, after she had given him 1000 dollars. > > Think about it this way, if you send out 1 million worms into the ocean, you are bound to get a fish or two. And that’s all you need… \*\* This is very true, but I couldn’t even begin to imagine that someone would be so foolish… …ok, that’s a lie, but still. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/10 "2002-12-12T01:42:15Z")
BrentLumkin wrote: > [@](#): > > Wait, so some people would actually send money!? Evidently so. There was a program about this on PBS, or the History Channel, or something a few days ago. As much as 12 million had been taken in by this one scammer and his gang, IIRC. The average loss by responders was $200K. Hard to believe. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/11 "2002-12-12T01:58:31Z")
\*\* Meatros\*\* – Sadly, the crimes-of-persuasion website seems to have disappeared. **BrentLumkin** – Yes, millions of dollars are lost each year to advance fee fraud scammers. I read an [article](http://www.freep.com/news/locoak/checks21_20020921.htm) a few weeks ago about a bookkeeper who actually embezzled money from a law firm to pay to these people. You can read all about these scammers at [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/nigeria.htm), or check out [Scamorama](http://www.scamorama.com/) for a humorous take on the whole thing (plus an archive of hundreds of different scam letters). ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/12 "2002-12-12T02:02:26Z")
Hey, do any of you know that website where the person actually “played” along with the scammers? He sent a picture of Rudy, from Survivor, to the scammers. The scammers actually sent him pictures and stuff-it was funny… ---
**Author:** ![BrentLumkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@BrentLumkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrentLumkin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/13 "2002-12-12T02:03:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*Hey, do any of you know that website where the person actually “played” along with the scammers? He sent a picture of Rudy, from Survivor, to the scammers. The scammers actually sent him pictures and stuff-it was funny… \*\* Hmmm, you have given me an idea and have inspired me… _wheels begin to turn in head_ ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/14 "2002-12-12T02:20:14Z")
Scamorama, which I linked in my previous post, is the site where people have posted their attempts to scam the scammers. ---
**Author:** ![deathawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@deathawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deathawk)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-in-the-hell-is-this-otherwise-known-as-this-is-one-weird-email/142157/15 "2002-12-12T02:43:38Z")
These sites also came from a previous thread on this board. I found them beyond funny: [http://www.geocities.com/scamjokepage/](http://www.geocities.com/scamjokepage/) This guy plays himself as “David Lee Roth”. Somehow never actually manages to get to Nigeria though. [http://www.geocities.com/steerp1ke/](http://www.geocities.com/steerp1ke/) This one has a couple personas in his anti-scams. The H.P. Lovecraft one is brilliant.