[Nettime-bold] Watch your money frauds are on the move

Please spread this to those who are unaware of this they all might turn into victims.

You or one of your friends or relatives might have received some very interesting proposals that offer you something about 5-25% amount of some very big hunk of cash. They are usually something very big like 18,000,000,00$ or like that. In any case DO NOT BELIEVE THEM and especially don't give any contact information to them because they are frauds. Those who don't know what fraud is (i know there are some. Me, not having english as my official language for example) it is an attempt to make you pay big amounts of cash to the person that proposes that deal.

These mails are sent from all around the world. Usually they are sent from Nigeria or some other african countries because there is no possible way for police to monitor all the events going on. All this kind of act violates the 419 coalition or "Nigerian scam".

Here's how they usually act:

1. They contact the victim by email, snail mail or by some other way like phoning to him/her etc.

2. They ask if the victim could provide them with some other contact information (home adress and like that)

3. Then there is some attempt to gain some little amount of money by making some excuse for the victim to send money. (to bribe polices, civil servants, or other important persons)

4. After some time they tell that one of their men is now able to come at victims home country to make victim believe that they are not trying to cheat him/her. And they might ask for some extra money for flying ticket. Then they might call the victim and say that there occured a problem in sending the money or like that.

5. This whole thing goes on and on and they tell the victim all the time to send some more cash to solve some "unexcepted events".

6. It won't stop unless the victim stops sending money and after that they still try to convince him/her to send some more.

Good hints to recognise one (My memory isn't good enough to hold all the facts about names and numbers, but they are irrelevant. The important thing is the message):

1. Always search more background information about the things that frauders tell you. They always make some mistake.

e.g. I was contacted by Bahir SeseSekou claiming to be the son of recently died Mobutu SeseSekou. That is correct he truly died some time ago.. but:

# when I searched for SeseSekou I didn't find a thing. Instead I found information regarding Seseseko.

# I found some other fraud posted on this very same Nettime mailing list which was posted by someone claiming to be the wife of Mobutu. Surprise surprise... SHE (or he, it's easy to fake your sex on net) claimed that she had escaped from Zaire (old Congo) with her two sons John and Basher (they sound very american, don't they??) and she mentioned nothing about Bahir. (she offered 10% from 18,000,000,00 $)

# Also I couldn't find information about Mobutu's relatives or sons or daughters but still there was another son of Mobutu giving away 15% from some 21,000,000,00$ (My God! How rich are they, they must have billions and billions in their accounts? And WHY on earth have they all put their money in some place so secure that they can't retrieve it by themselves and need YOU to do it??!?!?) and a cousin of Mobutu's also offering a big hunk of cash for those willing to help to retrieve them.

I was too tired to find out more info because i already knew that he/she was a cheater.

2. They always propose a big deal of money (as mentioned above)

3. The offer sounds too good to be true and too bad.. it also is like that.

4. If you ask them something regarding to the proposal or where he/she received your (email/snail mail)adrress they ignore the question and try to change the subject. Or say something like that it was introduced to him in confidence by a friend of him/her.

5. My personal favorite is to insult them BADLY without mentioning the fact that you know he is a frauder and so a violator of 419 coalition. The first one of my harassers started to make more mistakes the more insulting the mail was. Although the responce were totally shocked about my reaction to his "honest and sincere" proposal.

These are the most certain ways to identify one. Oh yes... nearly forgot the most important thing. If they are soooo rich. Why do they use FREE email adresses!!?? Always check this thing. I couldn't believe my eyes of how stupid this "Bahir SeseSekou" was. He used free Yahoo! adress. ;)

This was only a brief explanation. I've found some pages that include example letters of these frauds. If you are interested in some more detailed information regarding the 419 coalition.

Example letters(and lot's of them):

http://www.quatloos.com/cm-niger/cm-niger.htm

More information about 419 coalition(read it totally through it's useful):

ATTENTION! Here are also information for what to do if you've been contacted by a frauder.

Plus information on what to do if you've suffered financial loss and if you've not suffered(still good to do).

http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/index.htm

Central bank of Nigeria Press statement on advance fee fraud/scam(also good to inspect):

http://www.expdisc.com/cbn.htm

Thanks to a man named Jeff about the two bottom links.

Some people have lost some 40,000$ - 60,000$ because they believed fraud.

This is quite an information pack in a nutshell and i ask you to spread it to other public mailing lists, bulletin boards, discussions. Spread it on IRC or whatever you can think of. You can even put an interesting looking note on your schools attention board(or whatever.you know... :) Any way the more people get to know about this the better.

Thanks. It's been ver reliefing to share this with so many people knowing that atleast some of you read and perhaps spread this further.

I'll put some letters I've received into the bottom of this letter.

- Archangel

Here is the first mail I received from Dr. David Suleman (yes.. using free mail adress) :

-----------

Subject: Business proposal/deal

To:***** ***********
From: David Suleman

First, I must solicit your strictest confidence in this transaction,this
is by virtue of it's nature as being utterly confidential and top secret.
Study this portion carefully and advice categorically, if you will be
able to handle, as I might not want to be exposed of the information
considering the source and reputation of my name.

I am the Director of project and the newly appointed chairman, contract
reviewing committee(CRC) of the Federal ministry of Works and Housing(FMW&H)
in Lagos, Nigeria. I am seeking your assistance to enable me transfer
the sum of US $17,000,000.00 into your account for mutual benefits.This
money came about as a result of a contract executed on behalf of my Ministry,
the (Federal Ministry of Works and Housing). This contract was officially
assigned to be awarded and executed by two foreign contractors at the
tune of US$80,500,000.00, but in the course of our negotiation.

we bargained with only one foreign contractor, a Bulgarian firm which
now executed the contract at the cost of US $63,500,000.00. Thus leaving
the remaining US$17M to our (members of the CRP ) benefits unknown to
the contractor and any other person in my Ministry. This contract has
been satisfactorily executed and inspected as the Bulgarian firm is presently
securing his payment from my Ministry.

It is however to this effect that I seek your maximum assistance and
approval to present your company name alongside with the Bulgarian contractor
as the second foreign contractor to enable me transfer the difference(SU$17M)into
your account for further investment depending on your advice.On actualization
of the transaction, the funds will be shared thus:

1. 30% of the money go to you for acting as the beneficiary of the funds.
2. 10% for reimbursement to both parties for ncidental expenses that
may be incurred in the course of the transaction for insurance, phone
bills, documentation etc.
3. 60%to me.
All logistics are in place and all modalities worked out for the smooth
actualization of the transaction within fourteen working days of commencement
after receiving the following information by fax: Your company's name,address,
phone/fax numbers and the activities of your company.

The above information will enable me make application and lodge claims
to concerned Ministries in favour of your company or name and it is pertinent
to state here that this deal is entirely based on trust and the fear
of God.

Thanks in anticipation of your positive response.

Yours faithfully

Dr. David Suleman.

--
Dr. David Suleman
david_suleman@onebox.com - email
(210) 576-2701 x5363 - voicemail/fax

__________________________________________________
FREE voicemail, email, and fax...all in one place.
Sign Up Now! http://www.onebox.com

---------------

My answer:

Hehehehe.. This one is a good one. Though I don't think that anyone could be
cheated with this. I don't have a slightest idea why I respond to this fake
letter and I suppose even that this is a fake address. Hmm.. anyway I think
it's a very bad idea to even think of trying to make fun of something like
this. Besides I don't have my own company so why don't you just stop sending
emails to any people whose address you find here.

Greetings *****

--------------------

Suleman's answer:

Subject: Not funny but very serious

My dear *****,
First and formost I must thank you so much for you prompt response to
my mail of a business proposal.
I don't think this is funny in any ways.
The fact hat you have no company is out of the issue as individual can
be registered with the coporate affairs commission as a category "A"
contravtor with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing [FMW&H]
Here in Nigeria.
All I need for a take off are undrlisted:

1. YOUR FULL NAME
2. ADDRESSES,
3. PHONE NUMBER
4. FAX NUMBER
AND
4. IDENTIFICATION PAPERS ie Drivers Licence,or first Three pages of your
international passport- this is solely for the security of our funds
which shall be remitted into your possessin.

This is to enable me make the registration of your name first as an individual
contractor.

Finally, I must inform you that this transaction is entirely based on
trust, confidence, good faith,and with the fear of God
Best regards,
Dr. David Suleman
------------------------------------------

Rest of my answers are of so rude language that I am not going to print them here ;) Here's the mail he answered to me after the rudest one. :

---------------

Subject: Please let be good promising Partners-In God we trust !

Dear *****.
Why all these? Does it means there are no sincere transaction? .All for
the fact that some bad eggs in the society has have the whole world polluted
with scam?
Any it is a proposal it is either an acceptant or you reject.Tha fact
remains tha you were introduced to me in confidence. And that is all.
If men were God.You will understand me much better.
Why not give me a trial.
Dr. David.
------------------

Well not so many mistakes but still more than in his/her earlier ones.

Next(and last) one which i am going to put here is a possible way he could try to persuade you to believe that he/she is not trying to cheat you:

---------------

Surprise!/ Call me tomorrow b/w 10am-5pm onTel/fax XXX XXXX XXXX(I censored the number for just in case)

Dear *****,
How are you today.
I am so suprise reading your mail.
Well I felt seriously touched, What could it be, giving you the belief
that I Dr. David Suleman is about cheating you? For what?
All I need is a candid assistance,And by the special grace of God;we
shall be hapy partners,meeting in Sweden personally for the funds sharing
and investment purposes.
Why should I cheat for Christ sake?Why give a trial,I so much believe
you will be convinced.Furthermore I forsee you to be a good busness partner,based
on your carefulness.
Please don't let me down,Iam a man of my words.
Today I tried calling you by phone, It was all the time engaging, is
your line in a perfect order?
Already, to day I make sure we commence your registration proper, and
hopefully your certificate of registration is suposed to be issued tomorrow.
You have nothing to worry about.
Expecting to hear from you urgently, and please confirm the confidenciality
of your fax number, because I would not want any of documents be entraped
by anybody,while confidenciality still remain our watch word.
Why not give me a call tomorrow.It is very importance we discuss verbally.
Best regads,
Dr. David Suleman.

--
Dr. David Suleman
david_suleman@onebox.com - email
(210) 576-2701 x5363 - voicemail/fax
------------------

As you see.. Very clever indeed. Finally I managed to stop him sending emails first (I am very provocative when I want to). Didn't want to give up on him/her.