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07-08-2007, 10:18 PM
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Ruined Lives
"For the most part these criminals [Nigerian 419 gangs] are not poor people trying to scratch a living, but are indeed very prosperous compared to their law-abiding countrymen, and many operate in highly organized, and highly successful criminal gangs. Millions of dollars are stolen on a DAILY basis, with absolutely no thought given to victims, who are losing vast amounts of money, homes, relatives, jobs and worse. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just greedy & stupid people that fall for these scams, says a statement on the Trophy Room page."
- Quote from419eater.com - See Scamming the scammers in Nigerian 419 Fraud News * On June 26, 2007, Milton Guy, a San Diego-based Navy officer, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for stealing $140,000 to pay debts accrued during an Internet scam. Guy was in charge of the ship's petty cash. In August 2004, Guy was contacted via e-mail by a man named Barnabus. Barnabus, who said he was a representative of the Nigerian government, told the lieutenant that he had inherited $2.6 million from a relative's estate, a "so-called Mark Guy." Milton Guy paid fees to set up a foreign bank account, which was a fake bank, and cover the cash transfer. Guy embezzled amounts of $3,000 to $10,000 over a 10-month period. Once caught, he admitted to doctoring ledgers to cover up the theft. Besides a jail term, he must pay $14,000 in fines and will be dismissed from the Navy. - San Diego Union Tribune, complete story in Nigerian 419 Fraud News - * Thomas Katona, the former treasurer of Alcona County, Michigan, pleaded guilty to embezzlement, forgery and attempted embezzlement and was sentenced to 9-14 years behind bars on July 3, 2007. Katona's downfall began when he wired $186,500 from a Lake Huron investment pool to Nigerian scammers. In all, he is suspected of losing more than $1.2 million in county funds to a fraudulent 419 business deal. He also wired scammers $72,500 of his own money. - Associated Press, complete story in Nigerian 419 Fraud News - * Mary Winkler, who shot her preacher husband in the back, was sentenced to 3 years for voluntary manslaughter, which was reduced to a week in jail and 60 days in a counseling facility. The prosecution suspected she killed Matthew Winkler, 31, to hide the fact she lost money to a Nigerian counterfeit check scam. She deposited checks she received through the mail, withdrew requested funds, then wired $17,500 to the scammers. Once the checks were found to be counterfeit, she owed the bank big time. She was to be charged with "check kiting" if she didn't refund the $17,500. Steve Farese, a defense attorney, said it was the accumulated pressures in her life, not one incident, that made her snap. Though she avoided a life-term for first-degree murder, she may have lost custody of her three daughters, aged 9, 7 & 2. Matthews parents, Dan and Diane, have filed a Chancery Court petition to terminate Mary Winkler's parental rights and adopt the children. - Enter Mary Winkler into Ask.com's search engine to find links to her story - * In Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) forum, there is a dramatic account written by an American who was kidnapped and held captive in the jungle. After two terrifying days, Ijaw tribesmen attacked and killed Helo's fifteen kidnappers, then took him to their village where he was kept until Shell Oil paid an $8 million ransom. "I wish they never paid the ransom," he says. "It would have been kinder to leave me in the Mangrove swamps rather than set me up for how I am at present." To read Helo's complete account, enter Nigerian Mafia into Ask.com search engine. Click on the "PTSD Forum - Bio-kidnapped and held hostage by Nigerian Mafia" link, then scroll down to the bottom of page one (1). Read a well-written entry on why he was in the Niger Delta, who he worked for, and how he was kidnapped. * The Nigerian Mafia & the Norwegian Policewas the first link I opened when I began researching the Nigerian Mafia. Tarjei Straume, a Norwegian businessman, mentioned a fellow citizen's murder before bashing the police in an email he sent to a scammer. "So be slick," he writes, "stay out of jail, get filthy rich, and don't kill anybody." Since I was new to the subject, I didn't know what to believe. Then when I found 419legal and read that Norwegian million, Kjetil Moc, was kidnapped and murdered after he met with Nigerian scammers in South Africa, I became a believer. Sadly, the Moc family never had their day in court. Even with help from the FBI, the Norwegian police was unable to capture his killers. You can read about kidnapping, extortion and murder in the 1990s, before cyber-crime became lucrative, in The Dangers of Nigerian 419 Fraud, under the Information and Education section. * On July 16, 2007, The Australian, reported a Queensland family lost between $1.3 to $1.5 million dollars in an elaborate, well-executed Nigerian-based scam. Steven Baker traveled to Europe three times to try and claim a neighbor's $17 million inheritance. According to Australian authorities, the neighbor read about an inheritance left to her by her father, who supposedly died in Libya, through a newspaper ad. Since she was unable to pay fees, she went to Mr. Baker for assistance. The scammers provided official-looking government documents when Baker visited Spain, Italy and Holland. He even saw a case of US currency, kept in a Spanish bank, that was to be transferred to his account. Apparently, these scammers lured Baker's neighbor into their fraud scheme by obtaining personal information through a chat room. "They built up a profile and specifically target that person," authorities said. These guys really did their homework since the names of companies they used were legitimate. The good news is one scammer was arrested in Amsterdam. The bad news is that since 2001, when spam increased 900 percent,these Nigerian criminal enterprises have become highly organized, money-making machines. To learn more, read How Nigerian 419 Fraud Syndicates Operate in the Information and Education section. - The Australian article is found in Nigerian 419 News forum - * See Love Scams in General Scam & Spam Discussions to find out where to go to read about The Tragic End of a Romance Scam Victim. * Click on Romance Scam Dupes Local Woman | KCRG-TV9 Cedar Rapids, Iowa | News to read about a Nigerian romance scam. This news article tells a cautionary tale rather than a tragic end of a romance. It offers dating service do's and dont's from the New York State Consumer Protection Board. The advice can be applied to an online or a real time love connection. * SC News reports an Australian man lost $1.5 million (739,000 pounds) in a Nigerian email scam. The article goes on to say that five 419 gang members were arrested by the Amsterdam police. Again, nothing is said about the man recouping his $1.5 million (see Big, Fat Lies in Reporting Fraud section). The SC News journalist states: "Once a victim has been drawn in, requests are made from the fraudsters for private information which may lead to requests for money, stolen identities and financial theft." - Complete story in Nigerian 419 News forum - __________________________________________________ ____________________________________ Update 8/13/07: If you are interested, scroll down to the Personal Note I included in this Thread. In it, I explain why I report dramatic stories. Last edited by S. Tomas : 08-29-2007 at 01:28 AM. Reason: Add News 
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07-11-2007, 02:37 AM
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It's ashame! It really is. The worst part about it, I noticed looking in the archives that the scammers are getting a bit more creative. That's really bad news out there for those that are completely unfamiliar with these types of scams.
__________________
There is no such thing as a free lunch To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Jen
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07-22-2007, 05:01 PM
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Dear Jenf529
The only legal way to make money is to work for them. If anyone believes that will get some hudge amounts from other people's money is at least a fool and then becomes scam therefore the jail for a few years is the least penalty. 22 years as bank executive I never met anyone that got money from such cases but I met a lot of people that lost money or are behind jail bars Last edited by Mercenary : 07-22-2007 at 05:05 PM.
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08-05-2007, 08:13 PM
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Personal Note
I came to 419legal after I learned my nephew's grandmother lost $100,000 in a Nigerian lottery e-scam. This eighty-something lady was lured to Spain and England in hopes of claiming her win. Thankfully, she wasn't kidnapped then held for ransom. However, it took a family intervention to lessen a 419 gang's grip on her mental state (Read How a Nigerian 419 Fraud Syndicates Operate in the Information and Education section.)
Back in December 2006, I received a wake-up call, too. A lottery scam letter arrived via the US postal service. That night, 915,810 sugar plums danced through my head. By the time I fell asleep, I had spent my entire winnings. I moved to a better neighborhood, bought a hybrid car and packed for a trip around the world. Did I want easy money. You bet. Luckily, habit forced me to use the Internet as a research tool the next morning. Within minutes I found the truth (see International Lotto Commission under Lottery Scam Letter Archives link). In Ruined Lives,I record dramatic stories to put a human face on an epidemic. Soon, there will be a mere six-degrees of separation between those who are yet to be scammed and those who have fallen for big, fat lies. Soon, we may all be effected - one way or another - by a scamming scourge.
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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Internet Fraud Tips at To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by S. Tomas : 08-29-2007 at 01:30 AM. Reason: Revision
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