# Where do you forward E-Mail Scams? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 25, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741 "2002-05-25T02:04:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/1 "2002-05-25T02:04:01Z")
I’m in the computer business and I recognize virus hoaxes rather easily and most other junk stuff including scams. I normally delete the junk when I see it. However, the Nigerian Money Transfer Scam has become big enough to get a few arrests. I have gotten these before but didn’t pay them much attention. I just got a variation of it and wondered if it should be sent to some authority or something. Here it is: > [@](#): > > DEAR FREIND, > > I AM MR MORGAN DOUGLAS ,A STUDENT OF OXFORD UNIVERSITY LONDON.I AM LOOKING FOR AN HONEST FOREIGNER TO ASSIST ME TRANSFER SOME HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHICH BELONGS TO MY LATE FATHER,DR. BASSEY DOUGLAS WHO WAS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANQUE DE AFRIQUE WHO JUST DIED TWO WEEKS AGO WITH MY MOTHER AND TWO OF MY YOUNGER ONES, AFTER A GHASTLY MOTOR ACCIDENT ON THEIR WAY HOME FROM A COLLEAGUES WEDDING. AT THE POINT OF DEATH IN THE HOSPITAL,HE DISCLOSED\TO ME THAT HE SECURED THE SUM OF FOURTY-FIVE MILLION,THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS(US$45.3M)IN A SECURITY COMPANY IN SPAIN IN MY NAME AND ALSO TOLD ME WHERE THE COVERING DOCUMENTS ARE,WHICH I AM IN POSSESSION OF NOW,AS HIS CONDUCT OF SERVICE DID NOT PERMIT HIM TO OPERATE ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT OR MAKE ANY FOREIGN EXCHANGE. AS I WAS CONTEMPLATING ON HOW TO SECURE THE MONEY,THE THOUGHT OF SEEKING MY FAMILY ATTORNEY’S ADVICE CAME INTO ! ME WHICH I DID.HE NOW ADVICED ME TO SEEK FOR AN HONEST FOREIGNER WHO WILL BE A BENEFICIARY TO THE MONEY ON MY BEHALF.SO,I NOW SEEKED FOR BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE WORLD DIRECTORY,WHERE I GOT YOUR CONTACT AND DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU. > PLEASE,IF YOU CAN ASSIST ME IN THIS TRANSACTION,YOU WILL TAKE 25% OUT OF THE TOTAL FUND AS SOON AS THE MONEY GET INTO YOUR CUSTODY,THEN SECURE THE REST OF THE MONEY FOR ME IN YOUR ACCOUNT.AS SOON AS MY PARENTS FUNERAL CEREMONY IS OVER,I,LL COME OVER TO MEET YOU AND AS WELL FURTHER MY EDUCATION IN YOUR COUNTRY IF POSSIBLE. PLEASE,IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ASSIST ME,SEND ME YOUR PRIVATE TEL/FAX NUMBER FOR ONWARD COMMUNICATION VIA MYCONFIDENTIAL E-MAIL ADDRESS: [morgandg2000@yahoo.com](mailto:morgandg2000@yahoo.com) > THANKS FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION. YOURS FAITHFULLY, > > MR MORGAN DOUGLAS. (This is no an exact quote. I cleaned up a lot of ‘line breaks’ from way too many cut & pastes.) It is obviously a scam, but what should I do with it? Jim ---
**Author:** ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/2 "2002-05-25T04:14:45Z")
{Sarcasm}Compliment them on their wonderful grammar and spelling?{/sarcasm} ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/3 "2002-05-25T04:45:09Z")
The first time I saw one of these was about eight years ago. It was sent to me via snail mail, on very cheap brown(paper bag type) stationery. I think almost everybody knows about this scam. I’d delete it and let it go at that. If you’re asking for an opinion, that’s my .02 worth. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/4 "2002-05-25T04:53:54Z")
The first time I saw one of these was about eight years ago. It was sent to me via snail mail, on very cheap brown(paper bag type) stationery. I think almost everybody knows about this scam. I’d delete it and let it go at that. If you’re asking for an opinion, that’s my .02 worth. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/5 "2002-05-25T06:26:56Z")
My deleted items bin, where they are promptly flushed. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/6 "2002-05-25T13:59:13Z")
you could forward it with complete headers to the FBI, I guess, if you really wanted to take action. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/7 "2002-05-25T14:19:59Z")
If I reply at all, I send them a link to “[pornyporn.com](http://pornyporn.com)”. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Pammipoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/87869e/32.png) [@Pammipoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pammipoo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/8 "2002-05-25T14:55:46Z")
::blond mode:: Maybe I’m not following the email too well, but what would this “Morgan Douglas” get out of the deal? He’s not asking for any of the honest foreigner’s money, is he? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/9 "2002-05-25T15:14:41Z")
“Morgan Douglas”, if replied to, will proceed to ask for bank account information so that he could supposedly tranfer a whole wad o’ cash. He will, of course, use this info to _clean out_ said account. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/10 "2002-05-25T15:32:58Z")
Cougarfang, I agree. I don’t know why ol’ Morgan is choosing a life of crime when he obviously has a career in writing just waiting. The man’s got talent. The reason I got curious about the proper thing to do with such e-mail was this article on ZDNet, [Six arrested over ‘Nigerian e-mail’ fraud](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=73&e=2&cid=73&u=/zd/20020524/tc_zd/5108178). It does seem that people are still being taken in by this scam and it is still being investigated. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/11 "2002-05-25T16:45:12Z")
Forward the message to the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Division: [419.fcd@usss.treas.gov](mailto:419.fcd@usss.treas.gov) Lots more information here: [http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/](http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/) The US Treasury’s own advisory on it: [http://www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml](http://www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml) Alternatively, you may want to use it for [entertainment](http://www.buddyweiserman.com/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/12 "2002-05-25T23:10:17Z")
DEAR FRIEND, I AM A MYSTERIOUS PERSON FROM AN IMOVERISHED THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY. I HAVE A MOUTAIN OF MONEY THAT I NEED TO TRANSFER OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND HAVE NO LEGAL WAY TO DO THAT, AND SO I WILL GIVE YOU HALF OF IT MAKING YOU RICH BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS FOR DOING NOTHING BECAUSE I AM SUCH A NICE PERSON. ALL YOU MUST DO IS SEND ME ALL YOUR PERSONAL AND BANK INFO TO ALLOW TRANSFERING LOTS OF MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT BUT ONLY A SMALLER AMOUNT OUT OR ALTERNATELY WE MAY MEET IN SIERRA LEONE WHERE SOME OF MY ASSOCIATES WILL ASSIST YOU WITH THE TRANSACTION BUT YOU WILL MUST BE BRINGING MUCH CASH BECAUSE THE BANKS THERE ARE NON COOPERATIVE… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/13 "2002-05-25T23:46:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DougC \* > \*\*DEAR FRIEND, > > I AM A MYSTERIOUS PERSON FROM AN IMOVERISHED THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY… \*\* Man – times must be hard in Illinois these days… ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/14 "2002-05-26T00:30:17Z")
Admit it **DougC** , you are Morgan Douglas, right? Jim ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/15 "2002-05-26T01:18:55Z")
Thanks, **Earthling**. I forwarded the e-mail to the link you gave. It’s the 3rd to 5th largest industry in Nigeria??? Wow! There’s one born every minute, huh? Jim ---
**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:** [May 26, 2002, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/16 "2002-05-26T03:16:00Z")
I got one of these the other day, might be my first but I don’t generally read obvious junk mail. According the the article I read Fri. about the SA bust, $22 million dollars were lost by Americans in just one quarter last year to these types of things. That’s a lot of stupid Americans. ---
**Author:** ![madcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@madcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madcat)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-forward-e-mail-scams/110741/17 "2002-05-26T10:46:46Z")
## quote: Originally posted by DougC DEAR FRIEND, ## I AM A MYSTERIOUS PERSON FROM AN IMOVERISHED THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY… **DougC**?..or…\*\* PublicOfficialA\*\* ???