How to spot a Nigerian Email Scam!
How would you like, out of the blue, to receive a check made out in your name for a few millions-and-a-half dollars? More than pleased for sure, unless you are aware of the most popular scam that it has become so noticeably, a part of.
The letter introduces the sender as being a person in distress, financially or otherwise. He dons a variety of facades-sometimes as an individual facing terminal cancer who wants help to distribute a substantial fund to charitable causes across the world. At other times, as a former CIA operative, a business man dealing in oil reserves, or as a former foreign official/Diplomat. They all have one thing in common: indirect access to a substantial sum of money which they seek (with your co-operation) to get hold of.
Nigeria is the place that they usually claim to come from. But nowadays you can find such letters coming from all parts of the globe.
It is divulged to you that for some reason (mostly legal), the sender is not able to directly credit the check in his own country. You were referred to him by a pastor (!!!) who knows you and had visited the scammer’s part of the world. The pastor had apparently spoken highly of your credentials as a wonderful human being.
For this reason (the letter would go on), the sender was willing to trust you by allowing you to encash the check into your account and agrees to part with 20% of the check amount as an appreciation of your efforts. Once you accede, he sends you the check by ordinary mail but along with instructions to encash it only after sending back a return check for the loan amount minus your commission.
The scam is revealed by the bank when they contact you and reveal that the check you received was a fraud. But by this time, your check would have been cleared and credited to the scammer’s account!
You realize too late that you’ve been taken for a ride!
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- Death Threat Email: Did you get one recently?
- Prevent Scam: Use the Man on the Street rule!
- Nigerian email scam in Australia offers an interesting ruse!
- Callahan Woman Arrested in Bogus Check Scam
February 19th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Hi. My son-in-law (attorney) have had a good laugh at what they will try next. (Nigerian scam). They will be reported. However, I’ve got them as far as mailing to the U.S. only to be stopped by L.A. customs and requiring an “anti-terrorist clearance” fee, that should have been paid in the uk. Got a good response for not paying the fee? email me at: [email protected]
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I have received several e-mail scams lately. One from Nigeria, one that is supposedly from FedEx. One is claiming I have won a Peugot car. Wouldn’t it be nice!! But I was not born yesterday!
November 25th, 2008 at 12:41 am
i have been contacted some way some how for a group of people, to tell me that i have been choosing to win 1,000.000. from the unit6ed kimdom this people have a very deep african accent so please put out an alert to the rest of the comunity i’m resident of the united states of america, Them using the NATWESTBANK OF UK
RTEGARDS MARCO PAREDES
November 25th, 2008 at 2:20 am
@ Nicky, Gina & Marco…
Thanks for dropping by and taking the time out to leave a comment.
Best Wishes!
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
My elderly neighbor got a e-mail saying her adopted grandson passed and his account contained 2.8 million and that she must collect the money by wiring a legal fee money through western Union. She called me over and we traced the IP address to mexico. Her grandson was in England alive and well. So, we called western union and in Ghana as the e-mail stated and sent the data to the 3rd party person listed on the e-mail. we gave them a fake wire transfer number by e-mail with the help of western Union. They aways put a real persons name as the pick up person. They asked for all the persons id and where they lived. This lead the local officals back to arrest the group. My neighbor and I we I received a reward by the ghana bank a real debt card 10,000.
December 12th, 2008 at 6:38 am
i have got an email from empress hassan naming that i want to cleare my account so please give me ur account no so that i will send u my money offering 20%
please dont belive in this.
cant we complain this to FBI. why police dont do any thing about this?
January 12th, 2009 at 10:42 am
I have sent the FBI several forwards of these scam letters, particularly those saying that the FBI was involved.
I have not heard anything from them. I don’t know that they even look into it. Wish I did, I would forward ALL of the scam letters that I get. I receive at least one every day!
January 20th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I just recently successfully scammed a scammer out of $50.00.
I have gotten them to send many fake money orders just to tie up their time and cost them a few bucks to send them but this is the first time I actually managed to scam them in order for me to get the funds they think they had coming “released” from the bank after an “error” on my part.
I would not recommend doing this as it can place you at risk but I put enough safeguards in place to protect myself!
January 21st, 2009 at 5:30 pm
i was contacted for a waoman fron nigeria she cntacted me and she added me as her friend.
well we have been chating by msn and in one of her email she confesed me that she had money in a privated banc and she want to bring here to usa,and I should pay a clearance fee, to receive the money and she will give me the 30% of 2.5 million dollars…
February 6th, 2009 at 12:51 am
Anybody gullible enough to fall for this garbage deserves to lose their money.
March 23rd, 2009 at 6:31 am
Is this anoyher scam?
From: John Goodluck
[email protected] To:
BCC: [email protected]
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 0:35
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
Metro Plaza, Plot 991/992
Zakari Maimalari Street
Cadastral Zone AO,
Central Business District, Abuja.
Attention:
The BRITISH High Commission in Nigeria, Benin Republic,Ghana and
Burkinafaso received a report of scam against you and other British/US
citizens and Maylaysia,Etc. The countries of Nigeria, Benin Republic,
Burkinafaso And Ghana have recompensed you following the meeting held
with the Four countries’ Government and various countries’ high
commission for the fraudulent activities carried out by the Four
countries’ Citizens.
Your name was among those scammed as listed by the Nigeria Financial
Intelligent Unit (NFIU). A compensation has been issued out in Certified
Bank Drafts to all the affected victims and has been already been in
distribution to all the bearers. Your draft was among those that was
reported undelivered as at Friday and we wish to advise you to see to
the instructions of the Committee to make sure you receive your draft
immediately.
According to the number of applicants at hand, 184 Beneficiaries had
been paid, half of the victims are from the United States,we still have
more 37 left to be paid the compensations of $8,500,000.00 USD each.
Your particulars was mentioned by one of the Syndicates who was arrested
as one of their victims of the operations,you are hereby warned not to
communicate or duplicate this message to him for any reason whatsoever
as the U.S. secret service is already on trace of the other criminals.
So keep it secret till they are all apprehended.Other victims who have
not been contacted can submit their application as well for scrutiny and
possible consideration.
NFIU further told us that the use of Nigeria and Ghana Couriers was
abolished due to interception activities noticed in the above mentioned
courier services in Benin,Nigeria and Ghana and thereby have made a
concrete arrangement with the DHL Courier Company for a safe delivery to
your door-step once the beneficiary meets up the demand of the conveyance.
We advise that you do the needful to make sure the NFIU dispatches your
Draft on Friday. Reply this e-mail at: {[email protected]} You
are assured of the safety of your draft and availability. Be advised to
stop further contacts with all the fake lawyers and security companies
who in collaboration scammed you. Get back to me immediately to check if
the delivery date suits you.
Yours in service
Agent;John Goodluck
CONSULAR/DIPLOMAT
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March 23rd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
I recently recieved a request from a person claiming to be a woman named Cheryl Smith trapped in Africa who needed help getting her money to the states. I met this person through myspace. I had an idea it might be a scam. I didn’t know how to approach it. I sent some infomation to the courier service who was in possesion of her boxes of cash. Then I got curious and googled “courier service scams”. I had no clue how the scammed worked until I found this site.
April 17th, 2009 at 5:26 am
Is another scam :
FROM THE DESK OF Mr. RAYMOND BRIAN
OF BILL AND EXCHANGE FOREIGN REMITTANCE
DEPT. ABSA BANK LIMITED. P.0.Box 6005,
JOHANNESBURG 2000 SOUTH AFRICA
Good day,
Urgent Business Proposal.
I am the Director of Bill and Exchange at the foreign remittance
Department of Amalgamated Bank of South Africa (ABSA BANK) I am writing to seek your cooperation over this business deal. In my Department, I discovered an abandoned sum of (US $40 Million US Dollars). In an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family in a plane crash that took place in Kenya, The account belongs to the Late (DR. GEORGE BRUMLEY) a citizen of Atlanta, United States of America but naturalized in South Africa and contractor with Anglo Gold.
Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his
Next of kin or business associate to come and claim his money because it cannot be released unless somebody applies for it as next of kin or business associate to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines but unfortunately, all his supposed next of kin or relation died along with him at the plane crash leaving nobody behind for the claim.
You can read more about the crash on visiting this site; http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/07/20/kenya.crash/index.html it is therefore upon this discovery that I now decided to make this business proposal to you and release the money to your account as the next of kin or business associate.
The Banking law and guideline here stipulates that if such money remains dormant after four years; the money will be transferred into the Bank treasury as unclaimed fund. The request for your assistance and maximum co-operation as a foreign citizen is highly needed to release this fund. I will like us to share this money mutually on two equal halves between me and you . Please note that I don’t have any asses to withdraw any cent from this money due to the money was insured by the owner DR. GEORGE BRUMLEY. I will indulge you at this point to understand that this is privileged information and must be strictly confidential. Please reply to this,
Note:
Kindly contact me on my Private Email: [email protected]
Best Regards
Mr. Raymond Brian
Telephone: +27-738-194-271.
April 17th, 2009 at 5:27 am
is another scam :
Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incorporation
Baley House, Har Road Sutton,
Greater London SM1 4te
United Kingdom .
Dear NIFAN SUNANDAR,
We wish to congratulate you and formally inform you that you have been selected to receive the sum of One Million Great Britain Pound Sterling (1,000.000.00) in this year’s Yahoo Msn donation, in conjunction with the MICROSOFT WINDOWS.
You should note that your email address in addition to millions of company and individual email addresses were extracted with a software and the addresses were scrutinized with a ballot system and after the process, 50 email addresses were selected and they were shared into 5 categories respectively and which you are a winner in the 2nd category of (1,000.000.00) .The said sum is now deposited in a suspense/escrow account with Citibank London, in your favor waiting for the immediate remittance into your nominated bank account.
Be informed that your cash donation has a hardcover insurance policy that makes it impossible to make any deduction of any kind, until the sum is finally credited into your designated account.
However,YAHOO/MSN LOTTERY INC & WINDOWS LIVE.has been notified of this development and the status of your claim.
Below is the legal and official procedure on how you will get your fund donation:
You are to send all your Winning details to the paying Bank CITI BANK UNITED KINGDOM along with a copy of your valid identification document(either driver’s license or international passport) for identification and verification purpose.
(1)Full Name:
(2)Sex:
(3)Age:
(4)Occupation:
(5)Country:
(6)Contact Phone Number:
(7)Batch Number……..YM 09102XM
(8)Ref Number………..YM 35447XM
(9)Winning Number….DTYFM0988
(10)Transfer Code No……45009423
Note:You are to contact the paying Bank immediately via the below stated email address and they will instruct you on what to do.
CITI BANK FOREIGN TRANSFER DEPT
Promenade Level,Cabot Place East,
Canary Wharf, London,E14 4QS.
Mr. Terry Smith (Online banking).
Tel: +4470359 65198
Fax: +447005-938-271
Email: [email protected]
This process is vital and urgent following the instruction from our clients that all donations should be claimed not later than 15days from now otherwise your cash donation will be returned back to its original source which means you have lost your cash award.
For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize has been released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by non-participant or unofficial personnel.
Once again accept our congratulations and we look forward to hearing from you soon. Always get back to us on how you go with bank.
Best Regards
Mr. Peter Scott
Yahoo/Msn Lottery Incorporation.
April 17th, 2009 at 5:28 am
is this another scam?
MSD Lottery Award
MICROWORD CORPORATIONS:
CUSTOMER SERVICE, BARCELONA.
REFERENCE NUMBER: DHA/-6587
BATCH NUMBER: 2009/430/MCV
LINK: http://www.microword.com
OFFICIAL WINNING NOTIFICATION.
We are pleased to inform you of the released results of the Microword Corporations Sweepstakes Promotion in conjunction with foundations for the promotion of software products organized for Software users.
This Program was held on 13th April, 2009, in Barcelona- Spain. Wherein your email address emerged as one of the online Winning emails in the 3rd category and therefore attracted a cash award of Ђ1,500,000.00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Euros) and a Compaq laptop. Your laptop, certificate of winnings and your cheque of (Ђ1 500,000.00 Euros) will be sent to your contact address in your location.
Please take note, lucky winners will pay for their courier services delivery. Microword corporations only provides lucky winners with a laptop and the sum of (Ђ1 500,000.00 Euros) only. To file for claims of the release of your winnings,
Contact the Customer Service Officer with the information below:
Email: [email protected]
Tel/Fax: +34 693 572 631
Contact Person: Manuel Borreria [CSO]
This Email Lottery is sponsored by Microword Corporation and all the members
of MSFT Word Resource Consortium Software Promotion Companies.
This internet E-mail draw is held periodically and is organized to encourage
the use of the Internet products and promote computer literacy worldwide.
Congratulations!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ena Gonzalez
Promotion Manager
April 17th, 2009 at 5:29 am
is this another scam?
CitibankUk
CITI BANK FOREIGN TRANSFER DEPT
Promenade Level, Cabot Place East ,
Canary Wharf , London , E14 4QS .
TELEPHONE :+44 703 5965198
FAX: +447005-930-989
Dear NIFAN SUNANDAR,
In regards to your email to this Bank, please you are to always follow all the instruction giving to you by CITI BANK to enable a safe transfer of your winning funds.
To enable this Bank process a swift remittance of your funds to your operating account as advised by you, you are required to pay our official transfer and administrative charges of (300) Three Hundred Pounds ($600 USD Six Hundred United State dollars) as this fee cannot be deducted from your lottery winnings sum because of the primary security hold/ insurance policy that came with your funds from the Yahoo Msn lottery Organization.
To comply with the payment of the Cost Of Transfer (C.O.T) sum of (300GBP) Three Hundred Pounds ($600 USD Six Hundred United State dollars) , please go to any Western Union Money Transfer office in your country and send the fees to our Financial on the name of
Mr George James.
Amount: 300GBP(600USD)
Address: 45BD Promenade Level, Cabot Place East ,Canary Wharf , London UK.
Forward to our office by email the Western Union Money Transfer payment Slip for confirmation of your payment.
Once the fees is confirm by the accounting officer Mr George James at the Western Union Money Transfer office, your funds will be swiftly transferred and it will be in your account within(48) forty eight hours.
I hope you understand my explanations clearly? Note that funds lodged in suspense/escrow account are NON-DEDUCTIBLE until it has been transferred to your operative account. Once your funds is transfer to your account in your country, we will send you an email on confirmation of your funds in your given account in your country that the funds has being transferred to you account.
I look forward to receiving the confirmation of the payment Soon.
Sincerely yours,
Mr. Terry Smith (Online banking).
Citi.com
April 17th, 2009 at 5:32 am
is this another scam?
Good Day,
I am Mr. Vincent Cheng Hoi Chuen, GBS, JP Chairman of the Hong Kong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited.
Gen Zaiki Taha Abdel, a businessman, also who was with the Iraqi forces and
our Client, made a fixed deposit of Thirty million Five Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars only in my branch, a number of notices was sent to him
after the war, which began in 2003 , but no response came from him till
date. We later found out that the General along with his family had been
killed in a bomb blast that hit their home.
After more inquiry it was also discovered that the late Gen. did not declare
any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank
deposit.
What bothers me most is according to the laws of my country at the expiration
of 6 years the funds will be revert to the ownership of the Hong
Kong Government if nobody comes for the funds, Against this scenery, I have
all the information needed to claim these funds and I want you to act as the
beneficiary of the deposit, there is no risk involved in this matter, as we
are going to adopt a legitimate method and the attorney will prepare all the
necessary documents.
All I require is your honest co-operation and I guarantee that this will be
executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect us from any breach
of the law. Please accept my apologies, keep my confidence and disregard this
email if you do not appreciate this proposition I have offered you.
All confirmable documents to back up this funds shall be made available to
you, as soon as I receive your reply, I shall let you know what is required
of you.
Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated
([email protected]).
Regards from,
Mr Vincent Cheng.
April 17th, 2009 at 5:33 am
is this another scam ?
Chevron Texaco Oil and Gas Company,
#2 Chevron Drive Lekki Peninsula PMB 12825.
LAGOS STATE , NIGERIA.
FROM THE DESK OF CHEVRON-TEXACO LOTTERY DEPARTMENT.
Dear Nifan Sunandar.
How are you doing today? I am in receipt of your mail, And i must say that you should count yourself extremely lucky to have emerged as one of our winners in this year CHEVRON TEXACO OIL AND GAS COMPANY LOTTERY PROMOTIONS. As you already know that Your e-mail ID was selected from over 5million e-mails users in the Internet, among people that are active on-line, from which your e-mail came out among the selected 5 lucky winners in this month Promotion. This promotion takes place Annually. For security reasons, you are advised to Keep your winning information’s confidential till your Claims is processed and your money remitted to you, Following further advice from the Lottery Corporation Payment Service (L.C.P.S). This is a part of our Precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and Unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous Elements.
Contact our payment BANK with this contact information below for further instructions on how to TRANSFER your winnings fund into your bank account via wire transfer. Please you should also send a copy of your verification form down to this bank as to authenticate your lottery winnings.
Below is the informations of the Transfer Officer you are to forward your verification form to:
Transfer Officer Name;Destiny Remond .
Bank Name; FIRST DIAMOND BANK PLC.
Email; [email protected]
Once Again Congratulations…
Do contact them as soon as possible.
Best Regards,
MR MARK ADAMS.
(Lottery Claims Agent).
+234-805-986-4143.
May 26th, 2010 at 2:51 am
HI I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IS THIS ANOTHER SCAM [email protected]
I WAS CONTACTED BY THEM FOR A LOAN AND NOW HE WANT ME TO PAY A FEE TO RECIEVE IT! PLEASE HELP
February 1st, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Hello Sir, My name is Arif. I am the few individuals who was scammed and frauded out of 3,000. I joined the site and one of the person who also have joined the site says her name is Violet Patrick and she resides in Florida. She first start asking for the money because you know the sad details about her life. I have taken a biggest gamble of my life and the fancy words she said about me in helping her mother and she is know residing in Lagos Nigeria. I did it for the name of God and i know i have taken a biggest risk is there anyway you can locate her and i also have the picture of her in my email and i could turn out that the perpetrator could be using someone elses identity. I have emailed numerously to her and she never call me and i have told her you will get what is coming to you that is eternal hellfire you could fool me but you never can fool God. I know i will never recover the money is there anyway you could do but the money that i have sent is there way it can go to the charity organization according to money from nigeria is notheing here but i have sent nearly 3,000 and that is closest to sum amount of money. These people have no conscientious and immoral and what they are doing to their own country. Leaving them in poverty, homelessness, and destitution. They should they punished to the maximum state of law and i have done a good deed and the reward will be paid by Almighty. Thanks.