I want to deposit US$50 million into your accountIf you are attracted to read this article because of the headline and haven't heard of the infamous Nigerian scams, you should read ASIC's dedicated section on these scams. Over US$5 billion from gullible victims all over the world have been lost to scamsters.
How the scam works: The scam varies, but usually you will receive a letter, or more often, a fax or email offering you a business "proposal" or transaction. The person writing may claim they are a government official, the widow of a government official, or from a charity or business group. In all cases, they promise you a benefit or reward in return for your help in offloading some cash or other commodity. To ensure a "hitch free transfer" of your share of the windfall, they will often ask for your bank account details. This is only the beginning. Once you're hooked, you'll be asked to pay all sorts of "advance fees" (eg customs, taxes, bribes) to facilitate the transfer. These fees are the real purpose of the scam, and may add up to tens of thousands of dollars. Nigerian scams Read more about these scams at ASIC's website: http://www.asic.gov.au/fido/fido.nsf/byheadline/Nigerian+scams?opendocument
Examples of Nigerian Scam
From: Barrister Obrien Usman Okeaya Inneh Law Chamber Legal Practitioner. Mission Road, Benin city Nigeria Dear friend, Compliments of the season. Grace, peace and love from me to you. I hope my letter does not cause you any embarrasement as I write to you in good faith. Please I will want you to read this mail carefully and get back to me. I am barrister Obrien Usman, I represent Mohammed Abacha, son of the the late Gen Sanni Abacha, who was the former military head of states in Nigeria that died in 1998. Since his father`s death the family has been losing alot of money due to vindictive government officials who are bent on dealing with the family. Most of the family`s accounts, home and abroad has been seized and confiscated. You can find out more about this on < http://www.transnationale.org/anglais/sources/tiersmonde/dirigeants__aba cha.htm > Based on this therefore, the family has asked me to seek for a foreign partner who can work with me as to move out the total sum of US$75,000,000.00 (seventy-five million United States dollars). presently in their possessions. This money was of course, acquired the late president and is now kept secretly by the family. All modalities to move the money out of the country through special diplomatic carrier in a create has been perfected. The swiss government has already frozen all the acconts of the family in Switzaland, and some other countries would soon follow to do the same. This bid by some government officials to deal with this family has made it necessary that I seek your assistance in receiving this money and investing it on behalf of the family. This must be a joint venture transaction and we must all work together since this money is still cash. Extra security measures have been taking to protect it from theft or seizure. I have personally worked out all modalities for the peaceful and successful conclusion of this transaction. The transaction definitely would be handle in phases and the first phase will involve the moving of US$25,000.000.00 (twenty-five million United States dollars). My client are willing to give you a reasonable percentage of this money as soon as the transaction is concluded. I will, however, based on the grounds that you are willing to work with us and also contentious issues discussed before the commencement of this transaction. You may also discuss your percentage before we start work. As soon as I hear from you, I will give you all necessary details as to how to carry out the whole transaction. please do not entertain any fears, as all necessary modalities for the smooth conclusion of this transaction have been mapped out, and I assure you of all success and safety in this transaction. Please this transactions requires absolute confidentiality and you would be expected to treat it as such until the funds are moved out of my country. please you will also ignore this letter and respect our trust in you by not exposing this transaction, even if you are not interested. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much. Truly yours, Barrister Obrien Usman.
ATTN:MANAGING DIRECTOR I am writing this proposal hoping that you would be of assistance in this business of mutual benefit. My name is Mr.David Agu an auditor at one of the Federal Ministries in lagos-Nigeria. During our last audit exercise,some amount of money totalling $16.5Million was discovered and traced to be owned by one late Engineer Muller Robert, a foreigner who died in a plane crash. The source of this fund was further traced to be a contract payment made to him but has remained unclaimed till now.Since his death, nobody has shown up to claim this fund and this attracted my curiosity. I therefore made a research and found out that he did not leave any next of kin in his confidential document with the ministry that he executed the contract for. A panel setup by the Federal Government on recovery of funds expects that this fund should be unquestionably claimed by any of his available foreign next of kin or alternatively the fund should be donated for arms and ammunition at a military war college here in Nigeria. Fervent valuable efforts were made by the Panel to get in touch with any of the family or relatives but all have proved to no avail. It is because of the perceived possibility of not going to be able to locate any next of kin ( he had no wife and children) that the panel under the influence of our chairman, Rtd Major General Usman Bello, that arrangement is being made for the fund to be declared UNCLAIMABLED and then be donated to the Trust Fund for arms and ammunition which will further enhance the perpetration of war in Africa and the third world in general. To forestall this move, my colleagues and I have taken it upon ourselves to source for a foreign partner who could assist in claimimg this fund for further transfer abroad. I have been given the sole mandate to source for a partner as soon as possible to that effect.All documents and proof to enable you get this fund have been carefully worked out and I am assuring you a 100% risk free involvement. Your share would be 30% of the total amount if you agree to assist while 10% would be set aside to offset all expenses in course of the transfer and the rest would be for us for investment purposes in your country. If this proposal is OK by you, and you do wish to take the advantage of the trust we hope to bestow on you and your company, then kindly reach me immediately via Fax:234-1-7597019 furnishing me with your most confidential telephone and fax numbers and exclusive email so that I can forward to you the relevant details of the transaction. I expect your urgent response. Regards, David. Fax:234-1-7597019 E-mail:
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FROM:DR.CHARLES NUJOMA Dear Sir, URGENT/CONFIDENTIAL First, I must solicit your confidence in this transaction, which by virtue of its nature is utterly CONFIDENTIAL and TOP SECRET. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day. We have decided to contact you by e-mail due to the urgency of this transaction,as we have been reliably informed of it's swiftness and confidentiality. Let me start by first by introducing myself properly to you. I am Dr.charles nujoma ,a Manager at a known bank in Lagos State in Nigeria I came to know of you in my private search for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential transaction which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to a foreign account requiring maximum confidence. THE PROPOSITION: A foreigner, late Engineer John Smith, an Oil Merchant/ contractor with the Federal Govenment of Nigeria, until his death some years ago in a ghastly plane crash, banked with us here at our Bank in Nigeria and had a closing balance of USD$10.(TEN Million United States Dollars ) which the bank now unquestionably expects to be claimed by any of his available foreign next of kin or alternatively be donated to a discredited trust fund for arms and ammunition at a military war college here in Nigeria. Fervent valuable efforts have been made by our Bank to get in touch with any of the Smith family or relatives but all have proved to no avail.It is because of the perceived possibility of not going to be able to locate any of the late Engr. John Smith's next of kin as he had no known wife and children that the management under the influence of our Chairman, board of directors, Retired Major General Bassey Ekpo, that an arrangement has been made for the fund to be declared "UNCLAIMABLE" and then be subsequently donated to the Trust Fund for Arms and Ammunition which will further enhance the course of war in Africa and the world in general. In order to avert this negative development, myself and some of my trusted colleagues in the bank now seek for your permission to have you stand as the late Engr. Johnson Smith's next of kin so that the fund, USD$38M would be subsequently transferred and paid into your bank account as the beneficiary next of kin. All documents and proves to enable you get this fund have been carefully worked out and we are assuring you of a 100% risk free involvement. Your share would be 30% of the total amount. 10% has been set aside for expenses while the rest would be for myself and my colleagues for investment purposes in your country. If this proposal is OK by you and you do not wish to take advantage of the trust we hope to bestow on you and your company,then kindly get to me immediately via my e-mail furnishing me with your most confidential telephone, fax number and exclusive e-mail address so that I can forward to you the relevant details of this transaction. Thank you in advance for your anticipated co-operation. Regards, Dr. CHARLES NUJOMA contact me personally
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Dear Friend,
I am Mrs. Suha Arafat, the wife of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader who died recently in Paris. Since his death and even prior to the announcement, I have been thrown into a state of antagonism, confusion, humiliation, frustration and hopelessness by the present leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the new Prime Minister. I have even been subjected to physical and psychological torture. As a widow that is so traumatized, I have lost confidence with everybody in the country at the moment.
You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the discovery of some fund in my husband secret bank account and companies and the allegations of some huge sums of money deposited by my husband in my name of which I have refuses to disclose or give up to the corrupt Palestine Government.
In fact the total sum allegedly discovered by the Government so far is in the tune of about $6.5 Billion Dollars. And they are not relenting on their effort to make me poor for life. As you know, the Moslem community has no regards for woman, more importantly when the woman is from a Christian background, hence my desire for a foreign assistance.
have deposited the sum of 21 million dollars with a Security financial firm in whose name is withheld for now until we open communication. I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund into your bank account for safe keeping and Investment opportunity. This arrangement will be known to you and I alone and all our correspondence should be strictly on email alone because our government has tapped all my lines and are monitoring all my moves.
In view of the above, if you are willing to assist for our mutual benefits, we will have to negotiate on your Percentage share of the $21,000,000 that will be kept in your position for a while and invested in your name for my trust pending when my Daughter, Zahwa, will come off age and take full responsibility of her Family Estate/inheritance. Please, if you are honest, I am going to entrust more funds in your care as this is one of the legacy we keep for our children. In case you don't accept please do not let me out to the security and international media as I am giving you this information in total trust and confidence I will greatly appreciate if you accept my proposal in good faith and send to me your complete personal contact information.
May God bless you and your household.
Yours sincerely, Suha Arafat Reply to :
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