Attempted Fraud on Ferrariads...how dumb?

And you didn't do this immediately?, tell him they were lost and to fedex you new money orders, that way he is out some cash for the fedex fees.

 

I'm surprised anybody still falls for the old excess funds scam. I guess some people must though, if the scammers are still using it. But then, I did have to talk a co-worker down off a Spanish Lottery scam the other day. He was ready to send them all kinds of bank details... <sigh>

Anybody else enjoy reading 419 Eater? Pretty funny what they can get the stupid scammers to do.

 

Didn't know about that site (thanks for sharing) but I *have* done the scam-baiting thing a couple of times... lasted for months and was indeed quite entertaining and satisfying.

Of course, I also always forward the initial "bait" emails to [email protected]

 

These are common scams and known as '910' which is the FBI file name. Most originate in Nigeria where they speak a form of English. Funniest of these was the fellow who agreed to drop the money to an agent in Amsterdam in a location where there were 3 web cams. The scamee which was supposed to be a lovely lady ended up on video as two large dark guys. If you want more info, google '910 scam'.

 

Close. It's called '419', after Nigerian criminal code Chapter 38, Section 419 - "Obtaining Property by false pretences"

 

I plead senior moment mistype. You is correct. I used to retain a file of the 419 email I received, the following is typical and a fun read:

I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foriegn remittance department of African Develoment Bank.

In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of US$18.5 (Eighteen million five hundred thousand US dolloars) in an account that belongs to one of our foriegn customer who died along with his entire family in November 1997 in a plane crash.

Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his next of kin to come over and claim his money because we cannot release it unless some body applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidlines and laws but unfortunately we learnt that
all his supposed next of kin or relation died alongside with him at the plane crash leaving nobody behind for the claim.

It is therefore upon this discovery that I and other officials in my department now decided to make this business proposal to you and release the
money to you as the next of kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement since nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go into the bank treasury as unclaimed bill.

The banking law and guidling here stipulates that if such money remained unclaimed after six years the money will be transfered into the bank
treasury as unclaimed fund. The request of foreigner as next of kin in this business is occassioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner and a
Burkinabe cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.

I agree that 30% of this money will be for you as a foreign partner, in respect to the provision of a foriegn account, and 70% would be for me,and
10% for expenses incure during the transaction (if any)and there after I will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentage
indicated.

Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as arranged, you must apply first to the bank as relation or next of kin of the
deceased indicating your bank name, your bank account number, your private telephone and fax number for easy and effective communication and location wherein the money will be remitted.

Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you by fax or email the text of the application to fill and send to the bank. I will not fail to bring to
your notice that this transaction is hitch -free and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required arrangements have been made for
the transfer.

 

I Recall a similar episode about a year ago...
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(unrelated, but that clown image brings back memories... it was one of the first graphics used to often show off 256-color capability *many* years ago when that was state-of-the-art for pc graphics cards!)