Bad Scam

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Plenty of you have probably gotten the below spam/scam letter. Usually I just toss them, but today I read it and noticed something really funny about it...it had obviously been altered by someone who knew it was a scam, but then continued to get passed along in this altered state. Take a look!

STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
MARIAM ABACHA,
34,GARKI STREET,
LAGOS NIGERIA,
WEST AFRICAN.
ATTNRESIDENT/CEO,

I AM DR. (MRS.) MARIAM ABACHA, WIFE OF LATE GENERAL SANI ABACHA, EX-
MILITARY HEAD OF STATE OF NIGERIA WHO DIED ON THE 8TH OF JUNE 1998 OF HEART
PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED YOU BECAUSE OF MY NEED TO DEAL WITH PERSONS WHOM MY
FAMILY AND I HAVE HAD NO PREVIOUS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.SINCE THE DEATH OF
MY HUSBAND, MY FAMILY HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO ALL SORTS OF HARASSMENT AND
INTIMIDATION WITH LOTS OF NEGATIVE REPORTS EMANATING FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND
THE PRESS ABOUT MY HUSBAND. IT IS IN VIEW OF THIS, THAT I SEEK YOUR CO-
OPERATION AND ASSISTANCE IN THE TRANSFER OF THIS SUM OF US$50,000,000 (
FIFTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY) BEING THE VERY LAST OF MY FAMILY
FUND IN MY POSSESSION AND CONTROL.

AFTER THE DEATH OF MY HUSBAND, BUT MY ONLY HOPE NOW IS THIS AVAILABLE US$50M
CASH WHICH MY HUSBAND CAREFULLY PACKAGED AND DEPOSITED AS PHOTOGRAPHIC
MATERIALS WITH A SECURITY COMPANY OUTSIDE NIGERIA.THE FUND WILL BE TRANSFER
IN PART PAYMENT.
note; uh pictures of money, deposited with a "security company"?

WE THEREFORE NEED YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE TO CLEAR THIS MONEY FROM THE
SECURITY COMPANY AND MOVE IT TO YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER PLACE FOR
INVESTMENT INTO A PROFITABLE BUSINESS. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ASSIST US IN
CLEARING AND INVESTING THIS MONEY ON OUR BEHALF, PLEASE,CONTACT MY SON (MUSA
ABACHA) ADDRESS:musaabacha@euroseek.com WITH THIS CODE: AB/CA-10, SO THAT HE
WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE FROM ME AND INDICATE YOUR INTEREST. HE WILL CONTACT
YOU AND GIVE YOU THE DETAILS AND NEGOTIATE YOUR REWARD WHICH I CAN ASSURE
YOU WILL BE VERY SUBSTANTIAL.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU INFORM ME ABOUT YOUR DEALINGS WITH MY SON VIA
E-MAIL. PLEASE ENSURE TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL VERY SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL FOR
OBVIOUS REASONS AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OR ANYTHING THAT YOU WILL LIKE
TO KNOW PLEASE YOU ARE FREE TO ASK FOR ANWSERS.HOW HE WILL BE EXPECTING YOUR
REPLY

SINCERELY,

DR (MRS.) MARIAM ABACHA
E MAIL : abacha2348033079097@hotmail.com



This letter is typed exactly as I received it (although I colored in the mistake). Can you believe it?

 

[JerseyJanice]

I've been seeing variations of that letter for years!

I can't believe it's still going around, or worse, that anyone has actually fallen for it.

 

[Towncrier]

I read an account on a website of someone who actually strung one of these scam artists out to the point that the scammer nearly flew to Europe to consumate the deal.

Check out the following link for a complete description of spoofing the spammer: http://www.haxial.com/fraud/mikeaba.html

 

[ILUVDXL]

Since I'm in Banking we see these and variations of them all the time. It amazes me that they really think banks would be stupid enough to take them up on their proposition.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Gee, and I thought they were stupid because they left someone else's comment in my email. Reading the story at the link TownCrier gave made me realize how dumb they really are!

The only sad thing is that people out there do actually fall for this scam.

(Gee, you'd think if you were going to Con people, you'd do a little better than this).