Yesterday I wrote about the Mikhail Khodorkovsky scam which is also reported at the MK Society weblog.
Here’s a further variation on that:
From: KIMAEVA MILA [mailto:kkima04@tsamail.co.za]
Sent: Thursday, 20. Januar 2005 04:30
Subject: HELP
My Dear,
I have a profiling amount in an excess of US$423M, which I seek your partnership in accommodating for me. You will be rewarded with 40% of the total sum for your partnership. Can you be my partner on this?
INTRODUCTION OF MY SELF:
I am Ms.KIMAEVA LIOUDMILA, a personal secretary to Mikhail Khodorkovskythe richest man in Russia and owner of the following companies:Chairman CEO: YUKOS OIL (Russian Most Largest Oil Company) Chairman CEO:Menatep SBP Bank (A well reputable financial institution with its branches all over the world)
SOURCE OF FUNDS:
The documents of the above funds in question was handed over to me tobe used in payment of an American oil merchant for his last oil dealwith my boss Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Already the funds have been deposited with TRESURY SERVICES EUROPE ,where the final crediting is expected to be carried out. While I was on the process, My Boss got arrested for his involvement on politics in financing the leading and opposing political parties (the Union of Right Forces, led by Boris Nemtsov, and Yabloko, a liberal/social democratic party led by Gregor Yavlinsky) which poses treat toPresident Vladimir Putin second tenure as Russian president. You can catch more of the story on this http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2003/11/13/51215.html
YOUR ROLE:
All I need from you is to stand as the beneficiary of the above quoted sum and I will arrange for the documentation which will enable TRESURY SERVICES EUROPE transfer the sum to you. I have decided to use this sum to relocate to American continent and never to be connected toany of Mikhail Khodorkovsky conglomerates. The transaction has to be concluded in 2 weeks As soon as I get your willingness to comply through my most private email address (k_kima02myway.com ] I will give you more details.
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The NNPC has often been used to start a scam. As I have not reported on this story up until now, I thought it was time to include it.
I received an e-mail from Ibrahim Danjuma, saying he has 13 million USD which he can’t get his hands on, because it can only be redeemed by a foreigner. He needs somone to act as receiver to get the cash free.
Let’s just say that Ibrahim Danjuma really sent you the 13 million USD. What are the consequences of this?
The most important point is, that you would be in conflict of most money laundering laws in place. Don’t forget european banks have to report any cash transfers larger than 15000 Euros. The US and other countries have similar regulations.
Seeing that the money would be illegally transfered to you, it would be hard for you to explain why you received it.
You can find out more about what Europe is doing to combat money laundering at the Justice and Home Affairs website.
A second point you should consider, is the fact that when you pay these criminals a fee, regardless of the sum, you are guilty of aiding and abetting fraud! Yes, I can hear you saying “How can that be when I am the victim?”.
Regardless of that fact, you have actually commited a crime! Although you are the victim, helping someone to commit a crime to the detriment of a third person or party is illegal.
Rest assured, up until now, no one has been charged with commiting fraud against themselves. Seeing that you are the victim of your own fraudulent activities, it will more than likely never be a case for the courts.
I am Mr.Ibrahim Danjuma, the assistant chairman foreign contractors award committee of Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation [NNPC]
In the fiscal year 2002, there was a contract awarded to Julius Berger Constructions Company, by NNPC, this contract was to supply and service oil and gas pipelines in all NNPC refineries in the country.
The said contract has been executed last 2003 and the said contractor paid, but my good office used it little contacts in the firm to over invoice the said contract to the sum of thirteen million dollars [13million dollars].
My office cannot collect the money as the contract was awarded to a foreign company and thereby the money must be collected by a foreigner, please i am soliciting you to help in claiming the money as i have every vital documents to back you up the money on your behalf as the rightful owner.
Once you indicates your willingness to help, i will hire a lawyer that will go to the federal high court here to obtain a certificate of change of ownership of the money in your name, a copy will be sent to you and to the apex bank JP MORGAN BANK NEW YORK [U.S.A], hence JP MORGAN BANK will contact you as the rightful beneficiary of the said amount for payment.
For your good help you will get 40% of the total contract value while 60% will come back to me.
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This morning I received an e-mail from YURIY LAGUTIN. He says he’s represeting Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former Boss of Yukos Oil. With a personal brief from the “top Oligarch”, he’s looking for someone to (I love this phrase) “re-profile” 250 million US Dollars. Oh, and by the way, this is completely legal!
He then goes on to quote various links which he says give truth to what he says. The funny thing is, that the last link is the Mikhail Khodorkovsky Society weblog. I found the following page http://mikhail_khodorkovsky_society.blogspot.com, which explicitly warns against E-Mails coming from so-called Yukos or Bank Menatep officials, as they are typical 419 type scams.
This is a classical example of using a story which is in the press to start a scam. In a tight market if you want to reach new targets, sorry, I mean customers, you need new stories!
Oh, before I forget, has anyone 50 million Dollars which he can “re-profile” me?
The re-profile e-mail:
Dear Sir,
I am YURIY LAGUTIN and I represent Mr. Mikhail Khordokovsky the former C.E.O of Yukos Oil Company in Russia. I have a very sensitive and confidential brief from this top (oligarch) to ask for your partnership in re-profiling funds over US$250 million. I will give the details, but in summary, the funds are coming via Bank Menatep. This is a legitimate transaction. You will be paid 4% for your “management fees”.
If you are interested, please write back by email mrlagutin@k.ro and provide me with your confidential telephone number, fax number and email address and I will provide further details and instructions. Please keep this confidential; we can’t afford more political problems. Finally, please note that this must be concluded within two weeks. Please write back promptly. I will also suggest you visit these news sites on the internet to be better informed about this project.
A lot of people have asked if they can do anything to stop the criminals running the various scams. If you would like to start a new hobby, try Mugubaiting!
Over the last couple of weeks I have had contact with a group of so-called Scambaiters. They are also know as Mugubaiters.
Mugu is a Nigerian word which means something like “Idiot”. It is a word which is used to describe the victims.
A website worth looking at is http://www.419eaters.com. There I found a Link to a website with hilarious story about Victor Pam. He is being currently baited. Take a look at the story you’ll love it!
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It’s one of those days when the scam e-mails are coming in every 15 minutes or so. That’s the reason I have more to say today.
This particular story is really laid on thick. It has been used in various forms over the last couple of years.
Here’s the short version. Jack Hanis is dumb (that means he can’t speak). His Mama died giving birth to his sister. Daddy was a Chief and did business in Gold and Cocoa. Daddy was poisoned by business partners. Jack has a pile of money. He’s looking for someone who will help in transfering it. And so on …..
I just love the address; “Bungalo of Peace”. Wishful thinking I would say.
Here’s the fairy tale
MR.JACK HANIS.
BUNGALO OF PEACE
RUE 1000 HENRI AV.
ILOT 88, LOT 0081 COCODY
TEL/225 07 36 92 38
ABIDJAN IVORY-COAST.
ATTN:DAEREST ONE .
REQUEST FOR INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP
Permit us to inform you of our desire of going into business relationship with you. I know this mail may come to you as a surprise, since we have not known or written before. Our Mother died long ago when she was about to delivered my younger sister Princess, she is 18 years old as of today, based that we lost our mother so early and I can not speak, our father took us so special we are only two from my mother’s side, I and my younger sister princess . Introducing myself , I am Mr Jack Hanis, 27 years of age the only son and one of the two surviving siblings of the late Chief and Mrs Robert Hanis , My father was a gold and cocoa merchant based in Accra, Ghana and Abidjan ( Ivory Coast ) , he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their business trips. Before the death of my father on 27th February 2002 in a private hospital here in Abidjan. He secretly called me on his bedside and told me that he has a sum of USD$25.5M ( Twenty five Million five hundred thousand U.S), deposited in Bank in ( Abidjan Cote D? Ivoire , that he used my name as his beloved son for the next of kin in depositing the fund. He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates, that I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose such as expansion of his existing cocoa business and real estate management overseas.
I have make an arrangement with the Local bank manager here on how best to transfer this money to oversea Please I humbly seeeking your assistance in the following ways.
1- To assist us in providing an account of yours where this fund can quietly be transferred into. 2-To serve as the guardian of this fund since I am still in the ecoundary school with my junior brother. 3)- To make arrangement for us to come over to your country to futher my education and to help me secure a residential permit in your country.
Moreover, I am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for your effort/ Input after the successful transfer of this fund into your nominated account overseas, while 5% will be set aside to offset any expenses we may incure. urthermore, you can indicate your option towards assisting us as I believe that this transaction would be concluded within the shortest possible time if you signify interest to assist us.
NB: Please contact us immediately you receive this message through the above e-mail ddress Yours sincerely
King Cheryerai Mangwiro, a Zimbawean, says he’s the boss of all the Gold Merchants in Makin country, Sierra Leone. He wants me to work with his daughter Polyana, to invest his money. Oh, and he will make me the co-director of his hotel business!
Funny, he says that he has no idea about investing money. Huh? That doesn’t sound right.
Just the same the money is deposited with an institution. Do you want to bet it’s in Amsterdam?
The King’s mail
I am King Cheryerai Mangwir
a 87 years old Zimbabwean Gold Merchant from Makine , Sierra leone Republic. As a matter of fact, I am sick now with strooke which has paralyised part of my body. I am the Head of all Gold dealers in Makin country.
I have some money which I made from sales of Gold and will like to invest it in hotels business or buying of Bank shares in your country. Iknow by the time this letter will get to you, I might be no more . Please I will like you to feel free to deal with my daughter in case I am dead. I will make you a co – director in these hotel business and will also compensate you with 15% of the total money and the Amount is 25,000,000US Dollars.
I must confess to you, we are novice when it comes to investment. The only trade we know is Gold business. Please if you know you can assist me , Pease contact me through this email address or my daughter email address: mangwiropoliyana@doramail.com.
I have in! structed the institution where the money is , what to do in case i am no more, please I really need your assistance,because my only child poliyana cannot handle this cash alone, so I want you to supervise and monitor her.
I just got this e-mail this morning. Achmed Abdul-Azeez says he has cancer of the esophagus. This person is using the same text as has been often seen before.
This time however, he sent not only three e-mails, but with the second he sent a photo.
This is just to try and prove that he is honest and sincere about what is written in the e-mail! Don’t forget, the e-mail is a standard text and is often in use! So there cannot be any truth behind the e-mail and picture.
Of course the question is, is the man in the picture Achmed or not? I don’t believe that is important. The main thing is, people believe it is Achmed and have pity on his situation.
Considering the world wide move to help the Indian Ocean rim after the Tsunami. Achmed is appealing to people to help donate his money for charity work. Why doesn’t he talk to his bank? Simple, the scam only works this way. He needs victims who willingly cooperate with him, thinking they are helping, but are only being taken for a ride.
Here’s the e-mail:
Dear Friend,
Greetings to you and a Happy and prosperous 2005.Please permit me to introduce myself.
I am Mr. ABDUL-AZEEZ Ahmed a SAUDI National and a crude oil Merchant before I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer which has defiled all medical solutions and according to medical experts I only have a few more months to live.
As you read this you do not have to feel sorry for me as it is a universal truth that we all must die someday, the only problem with mine though being that I have particularly not lived my life well in spite of my wealth and possessions as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich I was never generous, I was never caring about people but only dedicated my time and resources on my business as that was the only thing I cared about. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just accumulating all the wealth in the world as I lay helplessly on my sick bed.
If I was given a second chance to live again I sure would live my life a different way from how I have lived it owing to what has befallen me now. As my last days alive are drawing closer and closer I have already willed out most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends.
I also want my soul to be at peace with God and for him to be merciful on me and accept my soul and to this regard I have resolved to give my remaining funds to charity organizations as I want this to stand as one of the last deeds I indulge in on earth before I die. Though I have already distributed money to some charity organizations, Now that my health has deteriorated so badly I can no longer continue with this myself and also I do not trust my immediate family members or close friends on this as I have once asked them to close one of my accounts and distribute the funds therein to charity organizations in Bulgaria,Sri-Lanka India and Pakistan they greedily kept the money to themselves. Hence I am contacting you with this as I have lost confidence in them because it is obvious they are not contended with what I have left for them.
The last of my funds which no one knows of is a cash deposit of Eighteen million U.S Dollars ($18,000,000,00) stashed in 2 trunk boxes and declared as Personal effects of high security value which I have with a finance/Security Company in Europe. All I am asking of you is to assist me in making the collection of this deposit and dispatching the funds to any charity of your choice after keeping 20% of the funds
for yourself and your family.10% of these funds should be to cover any expenses that might be incurred in the process of making this claims.
Please contact me as soon as you get this email if you are capable and sincere to handle this transaction on my behalf so I can forward you with all relevant documents necessary for the claims and the name of the security firm where the funds are deposited.
God bless you as I await words from you. Please inform as soon as possible if you are not interested so I can proceed to seek for someone else to carry out this on my behalf. Find attached a picture of me along with this email for your perusal.
azeezabdul2005@netscape.net
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Yes, the criminals are mixing the old with the new. They are using the Tsunami background to cash in on the donating mentality which is prevalent in the world today.
This person is saying he has cancer and wants to donate his fortune to help the victims in Indonesia. Of course, it is deposited with a security company and he needs some helpful soul to claim it and disperse it to the victims.
As we know, this story is just to get people to contact them. As soon as they have the contact details of their new victim, the scam begins.
The so called “security company” contacts them and says they can pick up the money in London or Amsterdam, but there is a fee open for taxes, notaries, what ever. They should bring the money with them.
Once there the victim pays the fee, usually around 800 Euros, but does not get the money promised. There is always a reason why they cannot take the cash with them. One of the stories is, that the money has been treated with black chemicals and has to be cleaned before they can allow the victim to take it with them.
The chemicals required to clean the money have to be paid for, and that can be anywhere up to 50.000 Euros! Believe it or not people even pay that sum. The reason is simple: They have already invested a smaller ammount and don’t really want to write off this sum. So they borrow and scrape the money together and fall right into the trap!
So this heart breaking e-mail is just the bait.
Take a look at what they write:
From Mr. Madhi Albalawi
Email: alb_mahd@excite.co.uk
Good Day.
It is my sincere prayers and wishes that the year has been fulfilling and rewarding for you and your family. Sorry to surprise you and take some of your time in going through this unexpected letter of plea for your understanding and assistance.
This message may come as a surprise as we have not met, but i am desperately in need of help. I got this contact out of desperation and frustration, via a comprehensive search on the Internet.
I am a victim of the last Sunday the 26th of December 2004 Tsunami Strike where I lost my whole family and virtually everything I have laboured for, My name is Madhi Albalawi a Saudi national and a merchant in Indonesia, Now I have been diagnosed with prostate, esophageal Cancer and High Blood Pressure that was discovered after the strike and shock from the heavy under water wave that claimed many lives. I have only about a few months to according to medical experts.
I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even myself but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focus on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this, as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world.
Presently, I’m in my house here in London where I have been undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. I have now lost my ability to talk and my doctor have told me that I have only a few months to live. It is my last wish to see that my money is been distributed to Victims of the Tsunami using the allocated Agencies like the UNICEF, UN. SAVE THE CHILDREN etc.
The last of my money, which is the huge cash deposit that I have with a Financial Firm in London .I will want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatched it to charity organizations in charge of the tsunamis victims and let them know that it is I, Madhi lbalawi that is making this generous donation.
I am writing this from my laptop computer in my house where I wait for my time to come. I pray that God uses you to support and assist me with good heart I am not afraid of death hence I have seen plenty of them in recent times. I don’t need any telephone communication in this regard because of my soundless voice and inability to talk. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact details of the holding firm in London where the funds are presently been held in safe custody.
I await your response and please send me further mails to Email:
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I am not much of a prophet, but I wish that my prophesy from the 29th of December was wrong. Unfortunately, this is one of the rare times when it is right.
Just today we received our third Tsunami scam e-mail. The person who sends this e-mail says he represents a small village in Aceh. Of course the people there have been hit hard and a lot of them are homeless without much hope of getting back to normal any time soon.
Using this background they are blatently asking for donations, but please send it through Western Union ….
If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is their taking advantage of such a human disaster in such an unscrupulous way. If I could, I would willing blast them off the face of this earth.
The people in the indian ocean rim need all the help and money we can provide. They need a chance to get back on their feet. We should be prepared to help them. You should donate, whatever sum you can manage, but give it to a charity you know and trust.
Don’t ever send cash to someone like this:
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are from a small village in the Aceh Region in Indonesia affected by the recent Tsunami Quakes/floods Disaster that swept through South Eastern Asia.
We have been rendered homeless and have lost all we have in life. Many foreign tourists also were affected by the quakes/floods.
Since we have no other way to survive as of now and have lost most of our relations and children, we have decided to write this letter of APPEAL FOR DONATIONS.
We will be very grateful if you can assist us with any amount of money to enable us start a new lease of life. Our little business have been swept off by the floods and we cannot go and steal. All we need is money to rehabilitate and start business again to make a living. No amount is too small to assist in this relief efforts.
We are sending this mail to many people all over the world for assistance as we can’t help ourselves. The United Nations and other world bodies/organisations are helping but the funds are not well circulated. So we need your assistance.
Sir/Madam we pray that God/Allah will reward you abundantly for listening to the voice of the less privileged and people whose lives have been devastated by a natural disaster.
Any donation can be sent either by Western Union Money Transfer Services or Money Gram Transfer to:
Mr. Musliman Musliman
Kp Kurus RT 009-RT0089
Utara, Jakarta,
Indonesia,
14130.
As soon as you effect the Payment, email me the relevant Money Transfer details vis: Money transfer control number, senders name and address as it appears in the transfer receipt, amount sent, test question and answer (if any).
My email for further contact is: tsunamirehab@netscape.net
Your assistance will be appreciated. Thanks for your anticipated cooperation.
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I have been looking at our e-mail statistics for 2004. I expect you will agree with me that statistics are usually a pretty dry subject. But looking at this type of crime, the figures are telling only a part of the story.
Last year we received a total of 4115 scam e-mails. On average this is 11 e-mails per day. This includes all types of e-mails such as the Manfred Becker inheritance scam to the money transfer story. But basically you can split the e-mails into two categories.
The first category is the well known 419-scam type of e-mail. Last year we received 2142 e-mails, either directly or through other persons who sent us the messages they received. Of this figure 1926 e-mails were through our own e-mail accounts. Just 216 e-mails were sent to us from readers in Germany.
As you can see that accounts for only about 50% of the total. Almost 48% of all scam e-mails we received were the lottery prize type!
During the whole of 2003 we only received a total of 212 Lottery e-Mails. This means that the lottery scam has increased by 930% in just one year!
Considering that this type of scam only started turning up about 3 to 4 years ago, this is a huge increase in this type of scam e-mail. It also implies that the lottery scam is not only enormously successful but that a swing to easier fraud methods is in process.
I have had calls from over the whole world, from the USA to Palestine, from Australia to Alaska, from prople who wanted to ask me if these e-mails were to be believed.
A lot of the people who called had already paid sums of up to 1500 Euros, which is about 1950 dollars, to the criminals. Some had even paid a second fee of around 8000 to 10000 US Dollars. As the money was transferred through Western Union, there was not much to be done about it.
But if you realise that some of the victims only earn between 300 and 500 USD a month, then you begin to realise the tragedy behind it.
I don’t think you can blame the victims. If you only earn a maximum of 500 dollars a month, what would a million dollar prize mean to you?
Now I would like explain to you what sort of money is being made with these scams.
The typical scam e-mail is sent to an average of 1500 recipients. Taking the total sum of e-mails which we received last year, this is a total of 6.172.500 e-mails. That looks a lot at first sight, but you can reduce this sum by about 50% due to invalid accounts and spam filters.
Just the same it means that 3.086.250 e-mails got delivered. The most people ignore these e-mails, but even if we take only 1 % of this total, about 308,625 people still reply and end up paying money.
As the sums paid vary from 500 up to 15000 Euros and more, I want to make the maths easier. Let’s just use a sum which is often paid, around about 800 Euros. Even this sum generates a total of 246.900.000 Euros! Which is about 320.970.000 dollars!
What does this mean for 2005?
Most definitely there will be an increase in the lottery e-mails. The old stories will still be used, but there will be an increase in new methods, such as using websites where people communicate. This can be networking, partner searching or auction websites.
In 2004 the criminals have hit the mother lode with the lottery scam. Will that remain the same in 2005? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.
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