Finally. A sound business investment. (a new scam)

[Richard Sinkler]

Got the following email in my spam folder this morning. Since I really don't have to worry about the Nigerian scams any more , I can now concentrate on solid business investments like in the following email.

Greetings I Am Mrs Mariam Abdo Hussameddin From Aleppo-Syria
Spam
x

Mrs Mariam Abdo Hussameddin <mrsmariiamabdo>
Jan 16 (1 day ago)

to
This is a warning from my anti-virus software:
Be careful with this message. This message may not have been sent by: mrsmariiamabdo@gmail.com. Similar messages were used to steal people's personal information. Learn more
Greetings

Dear Friend,

Good day to you and your family, I hope my email will arrive to you at good time.

My name is Mrs Mariam Abdo Hussameddin from Aleppo- Syria. I am 56 years old, i'm one of the former senior inspector for Kawkab Oil Company. Why I'm contacting you is to know if we can have a personal conversation, whatever truth you may brief me will be highly recommended. Tell me more about your country, how good it will be to invest in your country, Such as buying of properties, or real estate and some tourist places or any profitable investment venture that will yield good profit.

I will like to relocate my family out from Syria, here in my country as there is serious war here, i need a foreign partner to enable me transfer my investment capital and then relocate with my family, honestly, i wish to work with you.

I will appreciate whatever result you may brief me, Do let me know your idea and knowledge regarding this or any other profitable investment venture you may suggest.

I have the total sum $13.4 Millions USD If we can develop a good business relationship with you on mutual agreement and understanding, probably we can invest together as partners, if you’re interested with my proposal. In my next mail I will explain the full details of the project and interest, i shall tell you more about myself

when I read from you, you may as well tell me little more about yourself when replying.

I look forward to read from you at your earliest convenient time.

Regards

Can't wait to jump on this one. Gotta run and set up bank accounts for my new business venture.

[Wiz Feinberg]

Richard;
Bobby D. Hunter would be proud of you for learning to spot 419 scams so quickly. There was a time when the Nigerians were scamming our members right and left. It led him to develop the Nigerian Blocklist, used by innumerable websites and forums around the World (except in Nigeria!).

[Dave Potter]

Can't wait to jump on this one. Gotta run and set up bank accounts for my new business venture

Oh, man..some guys have all the luck. All those millions, just waiting out there for you like low hanging fruit.
/sarc

My PC spam filter catches those too, and for really prolific spammers who do it repeatedly, I use it to totally block their IP address, or even the entire IP range for that server.

In terms of spam in general, I've been getting more and more cellphone spam lately - phone calls, texts, and emails, although I think it's illegal. What do spammers care about that, right? I just discovered that there's a rudimentary spam blocker in my Android phone's settings for email I didn't know was there. It can only block senders and domains, which isn't optimal - a lot of 'em are bogus - but it's something. And I also found an Android app that checks it's own database of user-reported phone spammers and blocks the call if the number is in the database. I like it so far.

Speaking of "running to set up the accounts", did you ever get your truck running? Just curious.

[Richard Sinkler]

Yup. Got the truck running.

I have an Android phone too. No spam messages yet, but get some wierd calls. Mostly strange wrong numbers. For a while, I was getting a wrong number at around 2:00-3:00 am from an Asian woman that did not speak english. I finally installed a call blocker app. I used it to stop calls from certain numbers, but noticed, mostly by accident, that I had voice mails, but the phone didn't ring. Deleted the app, but still have the voice mail problem. I now just routinely check my voice mail two or three times a day. Good thing I do

[Dave Potter]

but noticed, mostly by accident, that I had voice mails, but the phone didn't ring. Deleted the app, but still have the voice mail problem.

That's a new one on me. I haven't seen that - my spammers haven't ever left any voice mails, which I really don't expect, since almost all of them are robocalls.

[Wiz Feinberg]

I can't resist sharing the 419 scam I got on Sunday afternoon, Jan 16, 2016. It is the boldest attempt I've seen to scam people out of money. The scammer asks for the fee up front, before entering into a formal exchange.

Hello,
With respect to the provision Section 17 of decree 114 of the 1999 constitution, I was directed to inform you that your payment verification and confirmations is 1COK 1D. Therefore, we are happy to inform you that arrangements has perfectly concluded to effect your payment as soon as possible in our bid to be transparent inline with programmed of the present administration of Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander in chief Of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his crusade against corruption in Nigeria.
However, it is our pleasure to inform you that ATM Card Number; 4120-5350-0006-0071 has been approved and upgraded in your favor. Meanwhile, The ATM Card Value is $4 Million USD Only. You are advised that a maximum withdrawal value of US$3,000.00 is permitted daily. And we are duly inter-switched and you can make withdrawal in any location of the ATM Center of your choice/nearest to you. Delivery will cost you $105
Everything has been put together to deliver this your ATM CARD,what is now holding the card is the delivery charge.Send it through Western Union Money Transfer with the below accountant information.

Receivers Name: OKONJI NNABUNDO HILARY
Address:Lagos-Nigeria
Text Question:The Sky Is ?
Answer:Blue
Amount to send : $105
MTCN..........................
As soon as you send the money provide me with the following information from the western union payment slip.
Senders name :
Address:
Amount Sent:
MTCN:
Within 48 hours confirmation of this payment. Be aware that the delivery fee receipt will be attached to your payment delivery documents to avoid being delayed by the customs.
Advice this office of your preferred time of visitation to delivery so that we can inform the courier service Company. And be informed that your valid I.D card must be presented to the dispatchers before release will be done to you to avoid wrong delivery.

Treat as very urgent, as we also remind you once again that your ATM Card is ready, you Atm card and the approval of your card payment the original will be sending to you as soon as we heard from you with the information 19s of the payment for the charges. I will also try to speak with you to notify you regard to this development or you call me on below telephone number.
Yours Faithfully,
DR CHRIS POWELL
Director ATM CARD PAYMENT ZENITH BANK PLC NIGERIA

The really sad thing is that some unfortunate people will fall for this scam and wire money to this Nigerian, then wonder why they never received the promised ATM card!

Note to MailWasher Pro users: My filter rule named "Nigerian 419 Scam #6 " matches this scam. Any or all of my spam filters for MailWasher Pro can be copied or downloaded from "Wizcrafts' MailWasher Pro Filters" web page.

For those who are curious, you can use this link to learn about MailWasher Pro.

[Dave Potter]

The really sad thing is that some unfortunate people will fall for this scam and wire money to this Nigerian, then wonder why they never received the promised ATM card!

Yep. But you have to give these guys credit for creativity. That part is pretty amusing. I also wonder if some of these "Nigerian" scams really originate somewhere else, like Russia - "Nigerian scam" wannabes.

I don't see many of those anymore, due to the IP ranges I've blocked in my email filter. Most of 'em just get flushed down the ethernet toilet before I see them.

I can't remember what the derivation of "419 scam" is - what does 419 refer to?

[Wiz Feinberg]

The really sad thing is that some unfortunate people will fall for this scam and wire money to this Nigerian, then wonder why they never received the promised ATM card!

Yep. But you have to give these guys credit for creativity. That part is pretty amusing. I also wonder if some of these "Nigerian" scams really originate somewhere else, like Russia - "Nigerian scam" wannabes.

I don't see many of those anymore, due to the IP ranges I've blocked in my email filter. Most of 'em just get flushed down the ethernet toilet before I see them.

I can't remember what the derivation of "419 scam" is - what does 419 refer to?

The scammer is definitely in Lagos, Nigeria. He asks you to wire the money there and send him a message when it arrives. It is their standard M.O. The variation is requesting a payment up front, rather than after engaging the victim in dialog.

As for the designation of 419 scam, it is based upon Nigerian Penal Code #419, which deals with the ubiquitous Advance Fee Fraud carried out by Nigerians for decades. It used to be done by faxes, before the Interwebs became popular.

[Dave Potter]

I'd love to know what their success rate has been.

[Richard Sinkler]

I sure hope the investment I made will start reeling in the cash soon. John McClung, in my Win 10 post, says I need to go Mac and Extended E9. That sounds great, but I really want a D-12 so I also have an extended C6.

[Wiz Feinberg]

I sure hope the investment I made will start reeling in the cash soon. John McClung, in my Win 10 post, says I need to go Mac and Extended E9. That sounds great, but I really want a D-12 so I also have an extended C6. ;-)

Then you could really use that ATM card from Nigeria, right? ;-)

[Charlie McDonald]

Only costs $105; seems like a modest request, particularly from Nigeria.

One of the sentences is long enough to lose any meaning:

Therefore, we are happy to inform you that arrangements has perfectly concluded to effect your payment as soon as possible in our bid to be transparent inline with programmed of the present administration of Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander in chief Of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his crusade against corruption in Nigeria.

Just keep reading; it'll get to you. You will remember 'transparent....'

[Wiz Feinberg]

He or she is hoping you'll send the money just to shut him/her up. But, we know it won't. The long, incoherent sentences will not only continue, but get longer and even more incomprehensible.

Bear in mind, these apes call us Magas, or Mugus ("fools" in Nigerian). If just a few people are tricked, they have earned a month's wages overnight, in an Internet cafe.

[Dave Potter]

"All your bases are belong to us" ...

[Richard Sinkler]

I sure hope the investment I made will start reeling in the cash soon. John McClung, in my Win 10 post, says I need to go Mac and Extended E9. That sounds great, but I really want a D-12 so I also have an extended C6.

Then you could really use that ATM card from Nigeria, right?

I have one of those. It's only good at a Nigerian bank and travelling there just to pull a couple of bucks out, is a real pain.

[Charlie McDonald]

Bear in mind, these apes call us Magas, or Mugus ("fools" in Nigerian).

(They think we are Mr. Magoo.
Shhhh... don't tell them! We are.)

Interestingly, their word is much like magus, or wise man.
They wonder who's the fool.

All this inspires poetry! Zero Wing style.

[Wiz Feinberg]

Bear in mind, these apes call us Magas, or Mugus ("fools" in Nigerian).

(They think we are Mr. Magoo.
Shhhh... don't tell them! We are.)

Interestingly, their word is much like magus, or wise man.
They wonder who's the fool.

All this inspires poetry! Zero Wing style.

You should see the fun the 419 baiters have with these assholes in their Internet Cafes. Some baiters have even run reverse scams on the scammers.