Taking the Nigerian Scam Up a Notch

[Griff]

You can help spread your Western feminist values! Is this thread at the Cyberbosque?


The Royal Palace of Ogoni Kingdom,
Ogoni Oil Producing Community,
River-State,
Nigeria.

Dear Sir,

Compliments of the season.

I am Princess Mercy Mosheshe, daughter of Chief Olu Mosheshe, the king of
Ogoni Kingdom.

My father was the King of Ogoni Kingdom the highest oil producing area in
Nigeria. He was in charge of reviving royalties from the multi-national Oil
companies and Government on behalf of the Oil producing communities in
Nigeria. After the hanging of the nine Ogoni Indigenes including Ken Saro
Wiwa by the late dictator General Sani Abacha, my father and rest of these
communities leaders continued to agitate for the due right in items of the
royalties, by which the present democratic Government resloved to be paying
more quarterly 13% deprivation as a result of environmental degradation in
these communities. But unfortunately, my father suffered stroke and died
December 7th last year.

But before his death, he called me and told me he has USD11,560,000.00
(Eleven Million Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand Dollars) cash in his
possession, specially deposited in a Security Company in far away Madrid -
Spain. He advised me not to tell anybody except my mother who is the last
wife of the (8) eight wives that he married. My mother did not bear any
male child for him. Which implies that all my father's properties,
companies e.t.c., we have no share in them because my mother has no male
child according to African tradition. My father therefore secretly gave me
all the relevant documents of the said money, and told me that i should use
this money with my mother and two younger sisters because he knows that
traditionally, if he dies we cannot get anything as inheritance. He
importantly advised me that i should seek foreign assistance and that i
should not invest this money here in Nigeria because of his other wives and
male children who happen to be my elders.

Since his death, my mother, two little sisters and i have been trapped in
obnoxious custom traditional rites. We have been restricted from going out
of the compound and moreso been denied almost all the priveledges and
freedom in the house. In fact, we have suffered maltreatment and untold
hardship in the hands of my half brothers and my late husbands family,
simply because my mother did not bear a male child for my late father. They
have taken all that my mother suffered with her late husband to acquire
including treasure, houses and his bank accounts closed by them. I wanted
to escape to the United State of America with my mother and two little
sisters on exile, but again they conspired and stole our international
Passports and other traveling documents to further frustrate us.

It has therefore, become very necessary and urgent to contact someone, a
foreigner like you who will help us claim this funds at the security
company in Madrid - Spain, transfer and secure this funds in his/her
account overseas and then help us invest it on our behalf as well, while we
find a way of getting out to meet with him/her in his/her country.

My late father's Attorney has expressed his willingness to corporate with
us whenever we find a reliable foreigner. This is why i have contacted you
to help save my mother, two younger sisters and i, by assisting us to claim
this funds at the security company in Madrid - Spain and to transfer and
secure this funds in your account overseas where i believe it will be
judiciously invested for the benefit of all of us. You are entitled to a
reasonable part of this money based on our agreement and, God will bless
you as you help us move this money out of Madrid - Spain.

Upon receipt of your positive response including your cell and home phone
numbers, i will forward to you the name and contact details of my late
father's Attorney who will help us procure every necessary and relevant
documents at the Federal High Court and at the concerned offices here.

This is all my mother, two little sisters and i have got to live on.
Therefore, we have reposed our confidence in you and hope you will not
disappoint us as look forward to receiving your positive and prompt
response,

Best regards,

HRH Princess Mercy Mosheshe.
Reply To: princess_mosheshe@post.cz



_________________________________________________________________________
Hosted By: Http://www.Aniverse.Com - Your Anime Web Portal

[wolf]

Now they are trying to tempt us where we truly live ... with chocolate!

Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2004 15:47:21 +1000 (EST)
From: "yakoub alail" <yakoub_alail@yahoo.com.au> Add to Address Book
Subject: need a urgent assistance
To: ryann238@aol.com <---- this is not my email address, but this is how it was originally addressed.


Dearest one

My greetings. I NEED YOUR URGENT HELP I know that you will be amazed to read from me, but please consider this letter as a request from a BROTHER in need of help. I decide to write you after my Seven days fasting and prayer my spirit lead me to Chose you

I am MR YAKOUB BILAL the SON of late Mr.and Mrs BILAL.ADISON.My father was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in abidjan,the economic capital of Ivory coast in Abidjan my father was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their outings on a business trip.my mother died when I was a baby and since then my father took me so special.

Before the death of my father in a private hospital here in Abidjan he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has the sum of Five Million Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars - $5.500.000.
left in fixed suspense account in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan,that he used my name as his only Daughter for the next of Kin in depositing of the fund.
He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates. That I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose.
I am honourably seeking your ssistance in the following ways:
1) To assist me in receiving this money in your bank
account.
2) To make arrangement for me to come over to your
country to further my Education.

Moreover,I am willing to offer you a good percentage from the total sum as compensation for your effort/input after the successful transfer of this
fund into your nominated account overseas.
Furthermore, you will indicate your option towards assisting me. Anticipating to hear from you

Thanks and God bless.
Best regards,
YAKOUB

[BrianR]

Hell, I would spend that wealth finding and torturing the "former business associates" who poisoned my father. Five million bucks will buy the tortures of the damned over there, plus doctors to keep you alive so you can be tortured some more.

Otherwise, I would tell this sap to open an account in MY name in Switzerland and send the money there. I would send HIM the fees or whatever they're calling the scam this time after I have confirmation of the deposit. Usually this will make them go away, until the next time.

I wonder why Nigeria is so full of this particular scam?

[Griff]

Hello
We are looking for business-partners in world for cooperation in money exchange.
Our company is the leader in online money-exchange on the Russian market.
Nowadays Russian web-sponsors, as well as web-sponsors all over the world,
feel the deficit in online-money (such as E-gold).
We are looking for partners with paypal account in diffrent countries
for quick money-exchange from sponsors paypal accounts.
In order to become our partner you need: verifed paypal account,
You must have cash funds or credit card to make westernunion transfer instantly,
after u receive paypal funds.
We pay 10% and all paypal fees and westernunion fees.
For constantly work percent will rise.
If you intrested please fill this form
http://222.223.129.246

(Before filling form, install any of instantly messenger, if u do not fill this forms,
we will do not answer on your filling)
Thank you.

[wolf]

That really inspires confidence in their confidence scam, doesn't it?

[wolf]

This one relies on my faith in Jesus Christ to accept the scam into my life ...
I found four copies of this one in my inbox.

From: Mrs. stella sigcau
Bless the children of God.

Dearest friend

I am the above named person but now undergoing
medical treatment now in south africa and formal south
african government official before now. I am married to Dr.
Ronald Tshabalala sigcau who worked with south africa
embassy in nigeria for nine years before he died in the year 2001.
We were married for eleven years with two child.Whom
died under tragic circumstances.


He died after a brief illness that lasted for only
four days. Before his death we were both born again
Christians.Since his death I decided not to re-marry
or get a child outside my matrimonial home which the
Bible is against. When my late husband was alive he
deposited the sum of$27.6 Million (twenty-seven
Million six hundred thousand U.S. Dollars) with one
finance/security company in Europe.
Presently, this money is still with the Security
Company. Recently, my Doctor told me that I would
not last for the next three months due to cancer
problem.


Though what disturbs me most is my stroke.
Having known my condition I decided to donate this
fund to church or better still a christian
individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to
instruct here in. I want a church or individual that
will use this to fund churches, orphanages and
widows propagating the word of God and to ensure that the
house of God is maintained. The Bible made us to
understand that Blessed is the hand that giveth.
I took this decision because I don?t have any child
that will inherit this money and my husband
relatives are not Christians and I don?t want my husband?s
hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. I don?t
want a situation where this money will be used in an
unGodly manner, hence the reason for taking this
bold decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know
where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the
bossom of the Lord.


Exodus 14 VS 14 says that the lord will fight my
case and I shall hold my peace. I don?t need any
telephone communication in this regard because of my
health,and because of the presence of my husband?s relatives
around me always. I don?t want them to know about
this development. With God all things are possible. As
soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact
of the Attorney, that will issue you a letter of
authority/affidavite to make claims of the fund to
you in your country from the Finance/Security Company Europe. I will
also issue you a letter of authority that will empower
you as the original- beneficiary of this fund. I want
you and the church to always pray for me because the
lord is my shephard. My happiness is that I lived a life
of a worthy Christian. Whoever that wants to serve the
Lord must serve him in spirit and truth. Please
always be prayerful all through your life.
Any delay in your reply will give me room in
sourcing for a church or christian individual for this same
purpose. Please assure me that you will act
accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hear from
you. note you are to take 80%, for the charity work
to God then 5% for expenses,you can collect the
remianing 15% for your kindness and works.


please reply me through this email;
mrs_sigcau@christianmail.org

Remain blessed in the name of the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs stella sigcau,
For the family.



___________________________________________________________________________
Mail sent from WebMail service at coachyouthfootball.com
- http://coachyouthfootball.com

The winter holidays must be an especially good time for gullibility, as I also received this plea from a famous human rights activist.

Ottam Refugee Camp,
Zone Portaire,
Ottam-lomei 9224,
Lome-Togo.

Dear Sir,

Greeting to you, I am the son of the late Richard Mbomi Matingua (a foremost
human rights activist in the Democratic Republic of Congo).My father died
on July, 28th, 2004, as a result of the inhuman treatment meted out onhim
while in prison by the government of Laurent Joseph Kabila.

However, it is particularly important to mention here that before the death
of my father, he was a successful businessman and his business empire includes
real estate, exportation, and consultancy services which cut across Africa.He
was able to accumulate enough money both in local and foreign currencies
through his business empire. In fact, he was at one time rated among the
first five richest Congolese businessmen by one of the leading business
magazines in my country. His entire business has been on the upward trend
over the past ten years, bringing his net profit during the period under
review to Nine Million Seven Hundred Thousand U.S Dollars ($9.7M), This
of course does not include his assets which are already running into Millions
of Dollars.

Having said all this, there was a twist in my father's success story following
his confrontation with the government of Laurent Joseph Kabila, who has
been quite high-handed and dictatorial in his policies and day-to-day running
of the affairs of the Congolese people. My father being a human rights activist,
criticised his government in both local and international newspapers. This
infuriated him and he clamped my father in jail until he died on July, 28th,
2004,
this year due to ill health. Fortunately, before the arrest of my father,
his attorney acting upon his instructions, transferred the sum of Nine Million
Seven Hundred Thousand U.S Dollars ($9.7m) from his local banks to a Security
Firm Abroad. He did this for fear of his accounts being frozen by the government.

Following my father's death, my entire family decided to seek political
assylum in Ottam-lomei,Lome-Togo, as the eldest son of my late father and
according to our tradition in Africa,I have now inherited all my father's
wealth. Considering the present face-off between Laurent Joseph Kabila and
my family,I was then advised by my father's attorney to seek the assistance
of someone based in your country to receive the amount in question being
($9.7m),since I have the intention of relocating my family there with the
aim of settling down there and investing. I have decided to give you 25%
of the total amount for your services and assistance.

To finalize this transaction you will have to contact me via my e-mail address
above & markmbomi@virgilio.it, further discussions will be centered on how
and when you shall be meeting with the Security Firm Shortlisted Clearing
Agent.I shall expect you to keep this transaction confidential due to the
present circumstance of my family and I urgently await your response.

Yours faithfull
Mark Mbomi Matingua.


mark

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[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by wolf

This one relies on my faith in Jesus Christ to accept the scam into my life ...

It may seem hard to believe, but those who work at religious institutions get even MORE of these particular ones! (We run all our incoming mail through an outside service that filters it for viruses and spam.... skimming over the spam basket to catch the occasional false positive is ..... well, if you think one person's spam is bad, imagine reading through 500 people's worth.)

[wolf]

And now ... (I'm getting more and more of these lately, and the spamcatcher isn't catching them) an attempt to capitalize on my white fear ... includes documentation of the assorted horrors perpetrated upon hardworking rich white farmers.

The Nigerian Scam moves to Zimbabwe.

Dear Friend,
I am Mr. Daniel Ford the son of the late Terry Ford, a farmer In
Zimbabwe;I am contacting you for assistance due to the recent problems
that my family is facing in Zimbabwe.After the last general elections
in my country when the incumbent President Mr. Robert Mugabe won he
adopted a very aggressive land reform programme. During this period of
the
Land Reform Act of which many rich White farmers were killed, our
farmland
was attacked, looted and burnt down by militants sponsored by the
dictator
President Robert Mugabe and in the process my father was
killed.
Before his death, he had traveled to Europe to deposit the sum of
$23,000,000.00 (Twenty Three Million United States Dollars) with a
Financial Institution in Europe, as he foresaw the Looming dangers in
Zimbabwe. The amount was meant for the purchase of new machineries and
Chemicals proposed for new farms in Zimbabwe. This cash was kept with a
Security Firm in Europe(which i will latter disclose to you) for fear
of seizure by the Government, as President Mugabe had declared war on
white farmers.
We have been unable to travel to Europe due to the recent problems in
our country Zimbabwe we cannot secure a visa. It is due to this
situation that we have decided to contact you for assistance to make
claims of this fund from the security firm in Europe on behalf of my
family. As soon as you claim this fund you will transfer it into your
account, deduct your share and secure our share until we come over to
your country. For your assistance you will be entitled to 10% of the
total
fund, While 3% will be used for any expenses that we may incur in the
course of this transaction.
Note that you will assist us invest our share of this funds in a
profitable business in your country with your supervision. Please get
back to me immediately via my private email (forddnl@netscape.net)so we
can proceed.
Regards and God Bless.
Daniel Ford
NB: For more information on the death of my father and the problems in
Zimbabwe see the links below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/772524.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1878846.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa...imbabwe.farmer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/zimbabwe/a...181153,00.html
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa...mbabwe.farmers

[wolf]

Interesting assortment today ... as a good Muslim, I'm supposed to help this lady out:

Assalamo Alaykom.

Dearest one,

My sincere greetings to you,and how are you doing?. My intention of contacting you is to solicit your assistance for a project which will be mutually beneficial.Though I know my decision to contact you is to a large extent unconventional, the prevailing circumstances necessitated my action.

I am Mrs. Amina Muhammed Libya. I am married to Late Mallam Jamil Ahmed of blessed memory was an oil explorer in Libya and Kuwait for twelve years before he died in the year 2000. We were married for twelve years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were both devoted Muslims. Since his death I too have been battling with both Cancer and fibroid problems. When my late Husband was alive he made a huge deposit in millions of US dollars with a Deposit Company in oversea. (I will tell you the amount as we proceed).

Recently, my doctor told me that I have only six months to live due to cancer problem. Though what disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to either a Muslem organization or devoted Muslim individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instructs herein. I want this Muslim organization or individual to use this money in all sincerity to fund mosques, orphanages, widows, and also propagating the word of ALLAH and to ensure that the society upholds the views and belief of the Holy Quran.

The Holy Quran emphasizes so much on ALLAH'S benevolence and this has encourage me to take the bold step. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are into some radical organisations and I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an Unholy manner. Hence the reasons for this bold decision. I know that after death I will be with ALLAH the most beneficent and the most merciful.

I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health, because of the presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I don't want them to know about this development. With ALLAH all things are possible. As soon as I receive your reply on Email: I shall give you the contact information of the Deposit Company in oversea where the money was deposited. I will also issue a letter of authority to the Deposit Company authorizing them that the said fund Have being willed to you and a copy of such authorization will be forwarded to you. I want you and the Muslim community where you reside to always pray for me. My happiness is that I lived a true devoted Muslims worthy of emulation Whoever that wants to serve ALLAH must serve him in truth and in fairness. I will not stipulate any precise amount to reward you as it will have to be on pre-negotiated terms,based on your level of involvment.

Please always be prayerful all through your life. Any delay in your reply will give room in sourcing for a Muslim organization or a devoted Muslim for this same purpose. Until I hear from you email my dreams will rest squarely on your shoulders.

May the Almighty ALLAH continue to guide and protect you.

Allah Hafiz.

Amina Muhammed

And my brotherhood in Christ is called upon here ... to help a poor former muslim who saw the light of christ reclaim his family fortune that was stripped from him.

Dear Beloved in Christ,
I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am formally Ahmed Usman from UAE.I was born into a devoted
Muslim family.All through my life i have been doing business and I
was into gold mining and selling.
I met our creator and the meciful one Almigthy God when i was having
a business deal with one of my partners from Italy and from the day I
became a born again christian my name changed to Edword Carl.
On 10th Feburary 2004 myself and my family and my business partner took
a flight from kish to sharjah and we flew kish airline.We had a plane
crash and all members of my family including my very good friend lost
thier lives.I give thanks to God that I am one of the lucky ones that
survived the crash.The airline was under the management of one Mr Shabab
Attarzadeh who was later sacked after this incidence.I had to return to
my base in London and I am now left with my relatives to take care
of me.Owing to the fact that I was born into a Moslim home and my
family members know that I am now a devoted Christian,they have neglected me
and left me to suffer pain.I know I am not going to survive this whole
pain anymore.what disturbs me most is my stroke sickness and now that I
have developed paralyses from my waist region downward i am taking this
bold step to let you know that I want to leave in your care the sum of
$12.6M(Twelve Million Six Hundred Thousand Dollars) i deposited!
in a security company for the enhancement and propagation of the word
of Almigthy God. Having known my condition I decided to donate this
fund to a Church,or a Christian organisation or better still a Christian
that will utilize this funds the way I am going to instruct here in.
My main aim of doing this is for the propagation and upholding of the
message of God.My target area is the youth whom the future of any
great country largely lies on.In Asia,you find out that the
message of God has not yet really gotten there.The message of God
must not only be preached and upheld,but also our youths have to be
called back to the right path and thereby reawaken their consciousness.
I want you also to use this funds for the poor and the needy.Build old
peoples home and orphanages.For the fact that my relatives are not
ready to comply with me and they claim Islam is the way I am now
resting my dream in life on your shoulders.Even as you agree to help me
carry out this duty i want you always remember that:
1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many
people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2.God won't ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you
compromised your character ormorals to obtain that salary.
3.God won't ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how
many people you welcomed into your home.
4.God won't ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but
will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.
5.God won't ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of
class you displayed.
6.God won't ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask
if they dictated your life.
7.God won't ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you
worked overtime for your family and loved ones.
8.God won't ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how
you promoted others.
9.God won't ask what your job title was, but will ask if you did your
job to the best of your ability.
10.God won't ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you
did to help others.
11.God won't ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many
people to whom youwere a true friend.
12.God won't ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask
what you did to protect the rights of others.
13.God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you
treated your neighbors.
14.God won't ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the
content of your character.
15.God won't ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but
will ask how many times they didn't.
For the now I dont want any calls from you because of the presence of
my relatives that are always around me and I dont want them to know my
plans.Do get back at me to my private mail address edwordcarl@telkom.net
.
Hoping to hear from you soonest and do notify your interest to help me
to propagate Christianity.
May the peace and blessing of God be upon you.

May God bless you as you respond to my plea.
Best Regards,
Yours in Christ.
Edword Carl

[wolf]

And I think I should beware of Greeks bearing gifts. I heard that somewhere ...

Hello

Hope you are doing great and sound? I am Dr. Walker Beattie Barrister at law and attorney to late Sir Mark Stephanopoulos, a Greek Merchant otherwise known as my client who was based in the United Kingdom and died of complications from injuries sustained after a ghastly motor accident.

As the attorney to Sir Mark Stephanopoulos I was his confidant as he shared with me virtually everything about himself, his business and family. I was his attorney for 15years and during that period I wrote his WILL and was also named as the executor, which has since been fulfilled. I am also aware due to my closeness to him that the amount Ten Million Pounds he deposited with a bank in Europe was not willed out. He told me about this on his sick bed and even instructed that I should prepare a codicil to that effect, however before I could finish my work he had died.

After his death, funeral and subsequent execution of his will I went into action to ascertain the information passed unto me by my client. My investigation conformed to the information; at that point I knew I had to do something to move the funds out of the bank and knowing that I cannot do this alone I have decided to contact you and seek your assistance and acceptance to be the next of kin to the estate.

Aside my humble self and you, the relationship manager (account officer) of my client knows about this, for he was very helpful during my discreet investigation, through him I was able to see the deposit paper work of the money which confirmed that there is no next of kin to the funds. It is necessary for us to move the money out of the bank on time because if we do not do this within the next two years the bank would regard the money as sundry funds, which would give them the right to claim the money.

I cannot move the money in my name because he is my client, for it could arose suspicion, his account officer cannot do the same, hence the importance of your assistance. Have my assurance that there is nothing to fear about, as we also need your assurance that you would work with me without fear or favour to achieve our desired objective. The legal back up is no problem for I would be responsible. Since the codicil was not ready before his death, letter of administration without Will would be secured from the probate office, with this letter I would personally apply on your behalf to the bank for the release of the funds to you.

What I require from you to enable us achieve the above are your;

Names
Address
Date of Birth
Telephone and Fax numbers

Upon receipt of a confirmation of acceptance from you a sharing ratio would be worked out between the three of us and communicated to you along with my telephone number.

Take care and have a nice day.

Sincerely,

Walker Beattie
Kentwood Associates.

[wolf]

Not the Nigerian scam, but it's close relative, phishing ...

You'd think they'd work harder to get make the text appear real ...

D*ae‬r Barc*syal‬ Me*ebm‬r,

T*sih‬ e*am‬il was s*tne‬ by the B*syalcra‬ s*re‬ver to v*re‬ify y*ruo‬ ema*li‬ ad*erd‬ss. You m*tsu‬ co*etelpm‬ t*sih‬ pro*sec‬s by c*kcil‬ing
on the l*kni‬ b*ole‬w and en*gniret‬ in the s*llam‬ w*wodni‬ y*ruo‬ B*ra‬clays Me*hsrebm‬ip numb*re‬, pa*ss‬code and m*rome‬able w*ro‬d.
Th*si‬ is d*no‬e for y*uo‬r p*noitcetor‬ - be*suac‬e s*emo‬ of our memb*re‬s no l*gno‬er ha*ev‬ ac*ec‬ss to th*ie‬r e*iam‬l add*sser‬es and
we m*su‬t ver*yfi‬ it. To ve*ir‬fy y*uo‬r e*liam‬ ad*erd‬ss and a*ecc‬ss yo*ru‬ ba*kn‬ ac*tnuoc‬ , cli*

And to top things off, the sender was a yahoo address. They didn't even bother to spoof it.

[richlevy]

It looks like some action is being taken.

Nigeria jails woman in $242 mln email fraud case

LAGOS (Reuters) - A Nigerian court has sentenced a woman to two and half years in jail after she pleaded guilty to fraud charges in the country's biggest e-mail scam case, the anti-fraud agency said on Saturday.

Amaka Anajemba, one of three suspects in a $242 million fraud involving a Brazilian bank, would return $48.5 million to the bank, hand over $5 million to the government and pay a fine of 2 million naira ($15,000), the agency said.

Scams have become so successful in Nigeria that anti-sleaze campaigners say swindling is one of the country's main foreign exchange earners after oil, natural gas and cocoa.

[wolf]

The photo gallery is priceless.

[Hobbs]

What I find astounding is that there must be someone out there who fall prey to this scam, otherwise the scammers wouldn't be sending these things out after all this time. I guess all it takes is one or two be be profitable for them. I know of at least one person who was taken in by this type of scam.

[Clodfobble]

Oh wow. A new, especially hilarious twist on the Nigerian scam just showed up in my mother's inbox:

From: UNITED NATIONS <mrkofiananunitednations71@hotmail.com>
Date: October 16, 2007 8:18:02 AM CDT
Subject: : SCAMMED VICTIM/ US$ 500,000,00 BENEFICIARY.REF/PAYMENTS CODE:06654
Reply-To: <unitednationsofficialemail@unlimail.net>


UNION BANK OF NIGRRIA PLC COMPENSATION UNIT, IN AFFILIATION WITH THE UNITED NATION. Send acopy of your response to official email:unionbankofnigeriaplc@unlimitedmail.org

ATTN:Sir/Madam,

How are you today? Hope all is well with you and family?,You may not understand why this mail came to you.
We have been having a meeting for the passed 7 months which ended 2 days ago with the former secretary to the UNITED NATIONS.

This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, the UNITED NATIONS have agreed to compensate them with the sum of US$ 500,000,00 This includes every foriegn contractors that may have not received their contract sum, and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc.

We found your name in our list and that is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed.
You are advised to contact Dr.S.K Williams of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, as he is our representative in Nigeria, contact him immediately for your Cheque/ International Bank Draft of USD$ 500,000,00 This funds are in a Bank Draft for security purpose ok? so he will send it to you and you can clear it in any bank of your choice.
Therefore, you should send him your full Name and telephone number/your correct mailing address where you want him to send the Draft to you.

Conatct Dr.S.K Williams immediately for your Cheque:
Person to Contact Dr.S.K Williams
Email: unionbankofnigeriaplc@unlimitedmail.org

Thanks and God bless you and your family.Hoping to hear from you as soon as you cash your Bank Draft.
Making the world a better place

Regards,
Mr. Kofi Anan
Former Secretary (UNITED NATIONS).

I'm pretty sure "Kofi Anan" has a hotmail address, right? And he does want to make the world a better place... looks legit to me!