# Woo! I got me my own African money scam e-mail! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114 "2006-12-30T14:35:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/21 "2007-01-04T14:18:58Z")
Well, after a few days I e-mailed him back and told him that I was travelling over the holidays, and that he should get back to me ASAP. **chowder** , I didn’t mention anything about you yet just yet. He replied back with: > [@](#): > > Dear SGTLAMAR TRIPLER, > > Good day and how are you today Dear Friend,I am glad to receive your > kind response concerning the proposal for your kind assistance for > Investment establishment in your base. . . > > (snip for brevity, and the fact a lack of punctuation hurts to look at) > > . . .transfer the money into your acoount so that i will be coming over your conutry to contuine schooling and also for invest my money in your conutry,please my dear this is my number where you can reach me+225 09 0016 32 it is my hotel number where i am refage for securtly renson,so i am waiting for your respond soon or call me > Thanks and God be with us > Your’s > Kingsley Gongolar God be with us! Praise Cecil! 😃 Anyway, notwithstanding the fact I don’t believe any of this for a second, I ain’t calling that number. I then tell him that because I’m constantly deployed I just don’t have a phone–“no sense in maintaining a phone and number if I’m never going to use them”. This morning I get: > [@](#): > > Dear Lamar, > > Thanks once agin for your mail,regarding the content of your mail, i will like to tell you that there is nothing to worried about concerning the origination of the money.the money i want to transfer to your country was genuinbely acquired by. . . > > (snip, underlining by me) > > . . .and that i have contacted you to help me transfer my late father’s money in their bank to your country USA for investment. > > Municipale Banque Afrique CI > 612bp 47Km Rue Des Commerce Imm. > Plateau-Abidjan-Cote D Ivoire Afrique de L’ouest > Direct Tel +22507980759 > Direct Fax +22521277908 > [Email-info@mba-ci.com](mailto:Email-info@mba-ci.com) > > Please i will like you to address your mail to the attention of Dr.Steven Duncanbaly (snip to end) > > Thanks and God be with us > Your’s > Kingsley Gongolar So unless anyone else has any other thoughts, I may wait a day or two and e-mail that last e-mail account from my Hotmail. Like you said **chowder** , I’ll string 'em along. Tripler Why is my name “Lamar”? Because ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ was on TV at the time. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/22 "2007-01-04T16:39:34Z")
You give him a slight slap at this point, why? for calling you “my dear”. Cannot having him getting familiar can we? You should also ask him what do the words “refage”,“securtly and renson” mean. I know you know but the object of the whole exercise is to irritate the hell out of him and get him to waste his time and money. Another good ploy is to ask him which God he is referring to, ask if he is a religeous man and if so what religion does he adhere to. Don’t forget the carrot of your small inheritance, guaranteed to have him salivating. There is really no end to the number of times you can yank his chain, ask about his sex life, does he like cats or dogs…you get the drift. After a while the crap will just flow merrily from your PC to his cyber cafe and he will not have the foggiest notion that you’re winding him up. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/23 "2007-01-04T16:46:45Z")
As a matter of fact I allus call the number they give me. I use my internet phone which costs just 2p per minute to call anywhere in the world. Taking account of the time difference between UK and Africa I call when I am reasonably certain he’ll be asleep. Soon as he answers I hang up. Rinse and repeat 6-8 times, more if I’m in a bad mood 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/24 "2007-01-04T17:00:49Z")
I am genuinbely impressed with his spelling. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/25 "2007-01-04T17:13:09Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] As a matter of fact I allus call the number they give me. I use my internet phone which costs just 2p per minute to call anywhere in the world. Taking account of the time difference between UK and Africa I call when I am reasonably certain he’ll be asleep. Soon as he answers I hang up. Rinse and repeat 6-8 times, more if I’m in a bad mood 😃 [/QUOTE] If you have a fax machine, you could program it to call and screech in his ear as well, maybe every 45 minutes all night long. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/26 "2007-01-04T18:13:23Z")
[QUOTE=Nawth Chucka] If you have a fax machine, you could program it to call and screech in his ear as well, maybe every 45 minutes all night long. [/QUOTE] But then he has my fax number :dubious: When I do call I usually have a sheet of cellophane held close to the mouthpiece. Makes a very satisfying and extremely annoying noise when crumpled. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/27 "2007-01-04T18:33:02Z")
Never, _ever_ p.o. **chowder**. The results will be devastating. :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/28 "2007-01-04T18:39:15Z")
Aw shucks **swampbear** I’m really a nice guy I just hate thieves which is all these merchants are ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/29 "2007-01-04T22:07:18Z")
My latest reply to “Big Daddy ‘G’”: > [@](#): > > _From: Tripler > To: that guy_ > > Mr Gongolar, > > What exactly do you mean “refrage” and “security renson”? What political instability is going on over there? Can you elaborate? > > If there’s serious tension going on over there, I might be hesitant to allow transfers to and from–especially if they dissapear from the bank. I just received my enlistement bonus and sea pay yesterday, so I’m ready to invest, but the talk of instability has me a little concerned. > > Thank you, > Lamar Tripler I’m going to wait to play the “God Card” a few days. I want to see how he reacts to this one first. Tripler Sea pay indeed. ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/30 "2007-01-05T00:40:03Z")
Guys, I know you’re bright, but be careful. I just keep thinking about a case here in New York where an educated man (psychiatrist IIRC) was taken for hundreds of thousands of dollars. He knew full well that it was a scam, he thought he could play the players. Things got out of his control and he was too ashamed to admit that he had lost so much money in such a stupid way - so he kept trying to manipulate the situation to get his money back. Naturally, that only made matters worse. So don’t take any risks even if you think you can handle it. These guys do this for a living, they are both more motivated and more experienced than you are. If they do trick you into doing/revealing something stupid, don’t let your ego stop you from calling the cops and fessin’ up to your own boneheadedness. In the meantime, enjoy! mischievous ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/31 "2007-01-05T00:51:05Z")
[QUOTE=mischievous] Guys, I know you’re bright, but be careful. I just keep thinking about a case here in New York where an educated man (psychiatrist IIRC) was taken for hundreds of thousands of dollars. He knew full well that it was a scam, he thought he could play the players. Things got out of his control and he was too ashamed to admit that he had lost so much money in such a stupid way - so he kept trying to manipulate the situation to get his money back. Naturally, that only made matters worse. So don’t take any risks even if you think you can handle it. These guys do this for a living, they are both more motivated and more experienced than you are. If they do trick you into doing/revealing something stupid, don’t let your ego stop you from calling the cops and fessin’ up to your own boneheadedness. [/QUOTE] Um, yer preachin’ to the choir. Part of my bringing this to the Dope is to elucidate those that read/lurk, and educate them that this sorta crap actually does happen. Having a fairly global education (read, “I’ve traveled extensively and been visited by other scams” and “Yep, I’m somewhat streetsmart”) I realize there are two important critical events that will get me into trouble: 1: Careless handling of personal information: I use a Hotmail address which ain’t linked to anything important, I haven’t admitted anything personal, and I sure as hell ain’t calling anything or having him call me. You must keep everything as disconnected as possible, to include the use of ‘disinformation’. 2: The physical act of sending money: This includes the clicking on electronic websites that would allow the individual to access my bank accounts or have my bank access his (then allowing a reverse transaction). He will get no money out of me, and I out of him mostly because I believe he’s got none to give, nor does he have legitimate accounts for me to access and hack into (if I so wanted to). The big part of this is information, and as **chowder** has already said, I give none of that other than a Hotmail account. Tripler It’s not like I’m sending the guy my SSN number. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/32 "2007-01-05T09:04:27Z")
Well **Tripler** thus far I’ve had no reply from his nibs but not to worry. I’ve got another fish dangling and he’s in luuurve with me 'cos he thinks I’m a chick 😃 I sent him a photo (face blanked out) from a model site, touched it up a bit with photo shop( bigger boobies)and as expected he fell for it. Anytime now I expect a proposal of marriage. He also believes that I’m a model who travels extensively and will soon be going to Nigeria for a “shoot”. It just remains to have him meet me…as far away from his home as possible 😃 Of course my plane will have to return to Heathrow because of _technical_ problems. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/33 "2007-01-05T09:13:00Z")
Here’s a website of people who bait these Nigerian scammers: [http://www.419fun.com/](http://www.419fun.com/) ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/34 "2007-01-05T09:13:02Z")
[QUOTE=mischievous] Guys, I know you’re bright, but be careful. I just keep thinking about a case here in New York where an educated man (psychiatrist IIRC) was taken for hundreds of thousands of dollars. He knew full well that it was a scam, he thought he could play the players. Things got out of his control and he was too ashamed to admit that he had lost so much money in such a stupid way - so he kept trying to manipulate the situation to get his money back. Naturally, that only made matters worse. So don’t take any risks even if you think you can handle it. These guys do this for a living, they are both more motivated and more experienced than you are. If they do trick you into doing/revealing something stupid, don’t let your ego stop you from calling the cops and fessin’ up to your own boneheadedness. In the meantime, enjoy! mischievous [/QUOTE] I realise your intentions are good but remember this, these guys may be motivated but they are far from experienced, believe me. Streetwise they are not, their grasp of the English language is piss poor and their typing skills leaves a lot to be desired. The original scam letter is prepared for them, after they get a reply it’s over to them to continue. This is why the first letter is _almost_ readable with few spelling mistakes, after that it’s steadily downhill. I’ve anti-scammed loads of these guys, some of them more than once. I really should get out more ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/35 "2007-01-05T09:25:25Z")
[QUOTE=mischievous] Guys, I know you’re bright, but be careful. I just keep thinking about a case here in New York where an educated man (psychiatrist IIRC) was taken for hundreds of thousands of dollars. He knew full well that it was a scam, he thought he could play the players. Things got out of his control and he was too ashamed to admit that he had lost so much money in such a stupid way - so he kept trying to manipulate the situation to get his money back. [/QUOTE] Sounds more like someone who initially believed the pitch, then claimed he was ‘plying the players’ as a means of saving face - why would a scambaiter, who understands full well that it is a scam, part with any money? It doesn’t make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/36 "2007-01-05T09:41:39Z")
If they know any way to find you, they can start leaning heavily on you. Claim that they’ve paid bribes in good faith because they thought you would cough up the money; could threaten your family. In countries like Thailand, they often have local partners. One wealthy Chinese-Thai businessman that I used to be acquainted with would receive them periodically in his postal mailbox in the days before the Internet. Oddly enough, they would bear local postage stamps but had not been cancelled. Someone was placing them in his mailbox in person, maybe even the mailman himself! Side note: I know of a wealthy Singaporean who fell for the scam a few years ago but after parting with a lot of cash and seeing no results, he got suspicious and started asking questions. They invited him to Nigeria to have a look at the operation he’d been “investing” in himself, even flew him there at their expende. Immediately upon arrival, they kidnapped him and held him for ransom! ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/37 "2007-01-05T11:02:23Z")
**Siam Sam** There is no way at all that they could trace me or **Tripler** or for that matter anyone with a brain cell. You never under any circumstances give them anything at all that could help them locate you. All addresses supplied are entirely fictitious, eg: The Rt. Hon Desmond O’Malley-Smythe CBE.DFC.VD. The Manse Savage Rogering Herts England UP1T ARD Which is my \*current \* address 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/38 "2007-01-05T11:22:18Z")
Okay, just be careful. Checkmout the scam-baiter site. Some good stuff there. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/39 "2007-01-05T11:27:37Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] Okay, just be careful. Checkmout the scam-baiter site. Some good stuff there. [/QUOTE] I subscribe to the 419 eater site. I have pictures of scammers on it\*, pics I’ve tricked them into sending me as proof of who they are. All they proved is that they are dumb. \*he said proudly ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114/40 "2007-01-05T11:29:45Z")
What ho! A reply on this morn: > [@](#): > > Dear Lamar Tripler, > > thanks once again for your mail,please i want to that my staying in the hotel was for a security reason to keep away from the people that killed my father coupled with the problem going on in my father’s family. (snip) please i want every arrangement concerning this transfer to go fast.i don’t want to continue staying here in the hotel because of the hotel bill that is costing me 50 US dollar per day with my feeding.so please i want you to help me transfer the money,before i decided to contact you i went to the bank to see if i can withdraw some money from my father’s account but the bank director told me that i can not withdraw from my father’s account because my father deposited the money in a suspense account for investment purpose, the bank director told me that i can only have access to the money when the money have been transfered to a foreign account,so please help me out._you are the only hope_ i have to achieve my dream and remember that you will be given 15% of the total money for assistance why 5% will be given to your for whatever expenses you make.so i will waiting to hear from you today (snip, italics by me) > Regards > Kingsley I have this image in my head of “Kinglsey” in a white dress bending down to his R2 unit: “Help me Lamar Tripler, you’re our only hope!” It strikes me that he hasn’t asked for money up front yet–only to contact his ‘bank manager’ which I may do later on today. Tripler And if they try to come after me, blazing-hot lightsaber death awaits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woo-i-got-me-my-own-african-money-scam-e-mail/386114.md?page=3)