Would someone please reassure me that this scam is popping up enough these days that even the incredibly stupid people must know it’s a scam by now? Please? This morning I woke to a slow net connection (probably due to the storms) and the following email in my inbox:
My Beloved.Mr/Mrs Jenkins
In brief introduction, I’m Mrs Helen Harvel from Sierra-Leone. My husband Mr Nelson Harvel was the former operations manager of the Sierra Leone Gold and Diamond cooperation during the tenure of the democratically elected head of state president Ahmed Tijan Kabbah who was forced out of office by the rebels led by major Paul Koromah. As a result of the otherthrow, top government officials and top civil servants who the rebel soldiers captured at the mining town of Bangashi district where he was in charge, where all killed, may his gentle soul rest in peace.
They don’t know if I’m a Mr. or a Mrs. and yet I am still “beloved” by whomever this person is. If that ain’t a clue and a half right there…
Then the very next email in my inbox starts like this:
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.
ATTENTION:
I am highly delighted about being in contact with you following a good recommendation made about you by my late husband before his death.
I am Mrs MERCY FOLLY of Zimbabwe, the wife, to late minority right wing activist/environmentalist and leader of the movement for the survival of white farmers in Zimbabwe.My husband Mr. Ben Matshe, who was killed during the on going war against white farmers in Zimbabwe.
Considering the fact that I don’t know anyone from Zimbabwe, let alone anyone with the name of Ben Matshe, it’s hard to imagine how such a person could make such a good recommendation about me. Naturally, in both cases, the husband is dead and the wife is looking to me for help. The first email takes the traditional route with a request for me to respond if I am interested so they can send me further instructions. The folks behind the second email aren’t as patient as it contains instructions that I should send them:
1. Name and address of your bank
2. Account number to be used for the remittance
3. Your private tele, fax number and full address.
So the matter can be taken care of right away. The first email is offering me up to 20% of $20.5 million (roughly $4.1 million) whereas the second email is only offering me 18% of $12.5 million (about $2.25 million).
Does anyone still fall for this crap? If not, then why do I still get so many of these friggin’ emails? Is there still some idiots out there who haven’t fallen for this scam already? PLEASE tell me everyone is wise to this by now.
Posted on 05/12/2003 at 06:46 AM 
Posted on 05/12/2003 at 07:55 AM 
Posted on 01/29/2004 at 06:03 AM 
Folks still fall for it, unfortunately. It’s the number 1 scam, according to the FBI.