Those Wacky Nigerians Are At It Again!!!! (long post)

[CO Liberal]

I just received the following e-mail:

Subj: urgent business transaction
Date: 9/30/2003 4:53:17 PM Mountain Daylight Time
From: [e-mail] (harris blessing)
To: [e-mail]

FROM THE DESK OF DR.HARRIS BLESSING.
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
VICTORIA ISLAND.LAGOS-NIGERIA.
DIRECT LINE TEL: [phone]
EMAIL : [e-mail]

ATTENTION SIR/MADAM,

I GOT YOUR INFORMATION FROM A SEARCH IN THE INTERNET AND I DECIDED TO
CONTACT YOU BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE AND HONEST TO ASSIST IN THIS TRANSFER . WE BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD BE IN A GOOD POSITION TO HELP US IN OUR BID TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF FOURTY FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS (US$45.5M) INTO A FOREIGN ACCOUNT. WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTE FOR BUDGET AND PLANNING OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL RESOURCES,

THIS COMMITTEE IS PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED WITH CONTRACT APPRAISALS AND
APPROVAL IN ORDER OF PRIORITIES AS REGARDS CAPITAL PROJECT OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA. WITH OUR POSITIONS, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SECURED FOR OURSELVES THE SUM OF FOURTY FIVE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$45.5). THIS AMOUNT WAS ACCUMULATED THROUGH UNDECLARED WINDFALL FROM SALES OF CRUDE OIL DURING THE GULF WAR.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE ACCOUNT INTO WHICH THE FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERRED SINCE OUR LAWS DO NOT ALLOW GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT. IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH 30% OF THE REMITTED FUNDS, WE SHALL KEEP 60% WHILE 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO OFFSET ANY EXPENSES INCLUDING TAXES THAT MAY BE INCURRED BY BOTH PARTIES IN THE COURSE OF THE TRANSACTION.

IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT TWO YEARS AGO A SIMILAR TRANSACTION WAS CARRIED OUT WITH ONE MR. PATRICE MILLER, THE PRESIDENT OF CRAINE INTERNATIONAL TRADING CORPORATION AT NUMBER 135, EAST 57TH STREET,
28TH FLOOR, NEW YORK. 10022 WITH TELEPHONE [phone] AND TELEX NUMBER 6731689, AFTER THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOTH PARTNERS IN WHICH HE WAS TO TAKE 5% THE MONEY WAS DULY TRANSFERRED INTO HIS ACCOUNT ONLY FOR US TO BE DISAPPOINTED ON OUR ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK AS WE WERE RELIABLY INFORMED THAT MR. PATRICE MILLER WAS NO LONGER ON THAT ADDRESS WHILE HIS TELEPHONE AND TELEX NUMBERS HAVE BEEN REALLOCATED TO SOMEBODY ELSE. THIS WAS HOW WE LOST US $31.5M TO MR. PATRICE MILLER.

THIS TIME AROUND WE NEED A MORE RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON OR A
REPUTABLE COMPANY TO DO BUSINESS WITH, HENCE THIS LETTER TO YOU. SO IF YOU CAN PROVE YOURSELF TO BE TRUSTWORTHY AND INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL THEN WE ARE PREPARED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU. WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU IS THE ASSURANCE THAT YOU WILL LET US HAVE OUR SHARE WHEN THIS FUND IS TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.

IF THIS PROPOSAL SATISFIES YOU, E-MAIL YOUR RESPONSE SO THAT WE CAN ADVICE YOU ON THE MODALITIES OF THIS TRANSACTION, ALSO INDICATE YOUR MOBILE TELEPHONE /FAX NUMBER FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. ALL MODALITIES OF THE TRANSFER HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT AND ONCE STARTED WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN 14 WORKING DAYS WITH THE ABSOLUTE COOPERATION OF ALL CONCERNED. THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE.

PLEASE TREAT AS URGENT AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL. GOD BE WITH YOU AS I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

DR. HARRIS BLESSING

* * * * * * * * * *

It came to me through an ISP called www.123.com. I've already sent a copy to their customer service department. I will also be sending a copy to my District Attorney, because in a newspaper article a while back he asked people to pass these on to him. He's a Republican, but he seems fair.

[HEyHEY]

1. That son of a bitch owes me 20 bucks

just kiddin

[kayleybeth]

2. People aren't still falling for that are they?

I remember when that was getting FAXED around the country back in the 1980s. A number of people got duped by it.

[CO Liberal]

3. Looks Like They Still Fall For This - And Other Scams

Here in Pueblo County, there seem to be lots of scam artists working. They prey on seniors and Hispanics, two demographics that are fairly large around here.