
Scams African InternetVersion 7: A Religious TwistAfrican Internet ScamsBelow is an actual dialog of a religious version of the African Advanced Fee scam hoping to lure someone of faith into handing over hard-earned money. Some creative scammers search the Internet looking for religious websites and hope that using a religious approach will pay off for them. There are hundreds of variations on the same theme. All these scams have a similar hook as if there is a training school somewhere for scammers. Most of the scams involve hooking the victim first by tempting the victim with millions of dollars and then reel them in by handing over official looking documents representing vast sums of money stored in some security facility. The bite comes when they want you to pay the accumulated storage fees, transfer costs, bribes or taxes before starting the money transfer that never arrives. There are many versions of how they will get you to front earnest money. Even though these scams seem ridiculous on their face, I receive several e-mails every week from someone who been taken or has a relative who has lost thousands of dollars. Please, DO NOT fall for these get rich quick schemes. Does it sound reasonable that so many third-world citizens would possess all these millions to hand over to YOU? My advice is to not respond to these e-mail inquiries and simply hit the delete key. By responding, even for fun, you are validating your e-mail address, which will surely be sold to others. The Federal government is well aware of these e-mail scams but is powerless to stop them. The best you can do for now is to notify the U.S. Secret Service and ISP of the offending scam artist to seek removing them from their service. The Secret Service calls these scams the "419 Advanced Fee Schemes" after the Nigerian Penal code fraud section. If you have been victimized by one of these schemes, please forward appropriate written documentation to the United States Secret Service, Financial Crimes Division, 950 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20223, or telephone (202) 406-5850, or contact by e-mail. If you have received a letter, but have not lost any monies to this scheme, please fax a copy of that letter to (202) 406-5031. Actual E-mail ExamplesThe e-mails posted below are left largely intact (spelling, grammar, etc) except for removing names of victims and telephone numbers. Remember these are samples are scams...do not fall for them!!! This is e-mail # 1 DEAR BELOVED,
e-mail # 2...... DEAR BELOVED
WE NEED TO MOVE THIS FUNDS OUT OF THIS COUNTRY WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FROM NOW, I WILL NEED YOU TO IMMEDIATELY SEND ME THE PATICULARS I REQUESTED FROM YOU, YOUR FULL NAME YOUR FULL ADRESS YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS. THE FUNDS IS ALREADY PACKAGED IN CONSIGNMENTS AND READY FOR SHIPEMENT, THESE INFORMATIONS IS REQUIRED BY THE SECURITY COMPANY SO THAT THEY WILL START UP ALL THE NECESSARY PROCESS ON HOW THE FUNDS WILL GET TO YOU. BE INFORMED THAT AS SOON AS THIS FUNDS IS IN YOUR POSESSION, I AND MY FAMILY WILL BE JOINING YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY. I WILL APRECIATE IF YOU CAN CALL ME ON THIS NUMBER 234-80-3XXXXXX SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AT LENTH. I WILL AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.
e-mail #3......... DEAR BELOVED,
e-mail #4........ DEAR BELOVED, GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, DO NOT THINK I HAVE ANY OTHER MOTIVE OF TAKING THE MONEY BACK OR EXCPECTING ANY RETURNS FROM YOUR CHURCH, THAT IS WHY I SAID 30% OF THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE FOR MYOWN USAGE. AND I WILL LIKE TO STAY IN FLORIDA OR CALIFORNIA FOR A BRITHER LIFE, AND IF YOUR FAMILY IS GOING TO ENGLAND FOR ANYTHING THEY ARE VERY FREE.
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e-mail #6 DEAR BELOVED,
FOR SHIPMENT THAT IS FROM AFRICA TO EUROPE.I HAVE ALSO CONCLUDED WITH THE NDLEA AND THE CERTICATE CLEARANCE HAS BEEN ISSUED, IT AMMOUTED TO THIS BECAUSE OF ITS GOD BLESS YOU. Now for the e-mails I sent him................ Dear Kingsley,
Because of this integrity you must understand my curiosity regarding your proposal. You mentioned you need to move the funds out of Nigeria as soon as possible. This causes me to question why? Also, my finances are handled out of my mission's base in Florida. All funds would need to be sent to Florida. They would then be distributed to me. And the mission's agency attorney would need to review this arrangement. Also in question is your statement regarding you and your family coming to America. I would ask for what purpose you would be coming to America. Should this arrangement take place, we would be leaving for England as soon as possible. $20 million is a lot of money that could be used to spread the love of Jesus around the world. My wife and I were discussing your proposition and, to be honest, wondered if this is possibly a fraud. But we also discussed what it would mean to the ministry if it is true. I admit I have misgivings about this but on the other hand, my God is able to "do exceedingly abundantly more than I could ask or think". We have a saying here in America, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is". If this is a "God thing" it will happen and all will be blessed. If this is NOT a "God thing" I wouldn't want any of the money. Please e-mail me with any more information. message # 3......i sent him...... Dear Kingsley, In other words, if you expect to get something back, ie. new home in America, in exchange for your gift to my ministry then you may not be giving with the right intentions. Gifts to God must be non conditional. We give to God because we love him and because it's scriptural. We don't give to get. If you are to be here in America God will work it out. If my ministry is to have your funds God will work it out. To be honest with you, we desperately need funding. We've been trying to get to England for one year now and the fund raising is difficult. But I don't want to step outside God's will. If you are interested in an address where you can send non-returnable donations you can go to my website. It's not much of a website but it's a beginning. The address is XXXXXXXX Please let me know how you plan to handle this situation. God bless you and your family and I pray God's will be done in your lives, be it in America or in Nigeria. message # 4 I sent him........... Kingsley, 1. You say your fee for the security company ends in holland. Would I have to make the pick up in Holland? 2. I do have a contact in Holland who may be able to make the pick up for me. Is that possible? 3. Would it be possible for the security company in Holland to ship the consignment to me here in America? 4. When I receive the consignment from the shipping company, in what form will the funds be. A bank note or check? 5. Does the shipping company need my information or is the information of my home office in Florida sufficient. My home office could probably make the arrangements with the shipping company. 6. Do you know how much the fee would be for the shipment from Holland to America? God bless you DEAR BELOVED,
Message #5 I sent to him… kingsley, I know this is a fraud. One thing you said in an earlier e-mail about going to hell is not just a story. Be sure your sin will find you out. What will it profit you to gain much wealth then die and go to hell. I even feel sorry for you. Thinking that money will gain you happiness. I do wish you had been muslim and converted to Christianity. I wish this whole thing had been true. Not for the money my ministry would have gained but that your soul would be secure in Jesus. But as it is, your denial of Jesus will gain you judgment and hell. I will pray for you. Here is another version from a disgruntled scammer: Thanks for your page of scams. I Have had the one from Mr Etuk whatever he calls himself. I was sceptical from the first having had others, but there was some information that was just possible so I went along with it until it showed itself for what it was. Now instead of just letting the matter drop I get this: DEAR SR. FRANCIS, I am not happy how you kept silence concerning this mission ,Do you think indeed that this mission is a childs play and even if you don't have the fee required for this affidavit ,Is that what will make you to relent while you realy claimed to me that you are a born again and now you don't want to help a sick person with your Godly mind. Let me tell you SR.FRANCIS, Please you should count every thing regards to this mission off from scan because i did not involve in scan when i am 100% healthy talkless of now i am at point of death. Please i am seriousely trying as much as i can to race the fee required for the affidavit on your behalf. The only thing i want you to do for good interrest of this mission is for you to write to the law firm and inform them that you are arranging to forward to them what they require for the services so that i will put more effort to come up with this fee for the affidavit because i have prayed and prayed but still God is directing me to you as the one that will champion this mission of my life in a good faith. Please do this immediately and call me for more advise and directives. In conlussion ,I have told you with all my heart that the whole depositing documents will be forwarded to you for proper confirmation upon secureing of this affidavit and i will also like every thing to be legal for my safety and yours ,So please don't be discouraged because of this fee ,I will put more effort to get this fee on your behalf for the affidavit and for you to believe that indeed i can never mislead a child of God because i know that i will not go scolt free. DO THIS IMMEDIATELY AND CALL ME AS I DIRECTED ,I AM WORRIED. FROM GREAT MIND OF MR ETUK COLLINS.
Sr Francis These examples are scams...don't fall for them!
African Advanced Fee Internet ScamsCrime Rx Books
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