Crime Online

Some time or another, it had to happen. I not only receive a whole pile of emails from African crooks each day, now it looks as one of them is using my name in one of the scam emails. Or maybe one of them is just pulling a prank?

The point is, this comment poster “Ahmad” sent in a copy of an email which quotes my name as a barrister (which I am not) to spin his tail.

I reckon he/she/they will have bad luck because I am just too well known on the web. And if anybody searches for my name they will find Crime Online in association with it. They will land here.

The person who posted this is most definitely somewhere in Africa, or  maybe  Mauritius, and not in Saudia Arabia, which he is trying to suggest. So I will have to consider him/her/them as 419 style crook/s, won’t I?

New comment on your post #20 “At last! My very own inheritance e-mail …”
Author : ahmad eissa
E-mail : ah_eassa@yahoo.com
URL    : http://www.aheissa.sa

Comment:
Attn:Wricks,

I apologize for intruding into your privacy, especially by contacting you through this means for a business transaction of this magnitude, but due to its seriousness and urgency it, therefore, became necessary for me to seek for your assistance.I am Barrister Michael Holdcroft, a counsel to late David Wricks, a national of your country Who used to work with shell development company in lome togo, He lost his life in a ghastly motor accident on the 21st of April 2004 together with his wife and their only daughter were involved in a car accident along nouvissi express Road. Before his sudden and mysterious death, he deposited a sum worth (5.5MILLION US dollars) with a bank here in Lome-Togo . I knew this because all the legal proceedings was duly carried out by my humble self. After his death three years ago, I made several approaches to your embassy to help me locate any of his relatives so as to come and stand as the next of kin to my late client in order to have this huge sum transferred in his or her bank account.

But all my effort proved abortive.After several unsuccessful attempts in locating any of his relations and the latest ultimatum given to me by the Bank, mandating me to provide my client’s next of kin within the 4 weeks or I have the money confisticated, which I wouldn’t live to see it happen, hence my decision to contact you so that I can present you as the next of kin to my late client. All I demand from you is your honest co-operation so that this fund {5.5MILLION US dollars} can be transferred into any account of your choice within the shortest time possible.For your assistance and co-operation, I have decided to have the money shared as follows; 40% for you, 60% for me.

What I introduced to you might be a smack of an unethical practice but this is a once in a life time opportunity that is capable of making things better for us and moreover, if I fail to present my late client’s next of kin in couple of weeks, the truth is that this money would not be taken by the government or by some greedy officials of the bank and I would not fold my arms and watch this happen hence my decision to contact you. I also want to use this medium to assure you that this transaction is 100% risk free and my position as the counsel to the late depositor of the fund, it has been legally planned to avoid any hitch or breach of law. Every information that will back you up as the next of kin to my late client shall be given to you as soon as I have your consent.
I look forward to receiving your positive response soonest.Reply via my private email: michael_h@rocketmail.com
Regards,
Barrister Michael Holdcroft.

Technorati-Tags: michael holdcroft, crime online

If you have seen the Khodorkovsky e-mails, then you know what this one is about. Platon Lebedev is another billionaire put in jail in Russia.

I found the last sentence sounds like a James Bond movie:

If you know you can do this, then contact me via private email:
natlebdev@list.ru so that i can furnish you with more details but if
for any reason you choose not to assist me, please destroy this mail
and forget I ever contacted you because of our safety.

———- Forwarded message ———-  
From: U.L <natlebde@bk.ru>
Date: 2009/5/22
Subject: I await your response
To: natlebde@bk.ru

Good day,

I know this mail may rather come to you as a surprise but had no other alternative than to contact you in this manner due to a matter of necessity and urgency for the relocation of my kids and me. Before i proceed further it is better for me to introduce myself; i am Mrs.Natalia Lebedev, the wife of Russian multi billionaire Mr. Platon Lebedev (former director of Group MENATEP, Russia) that was arrested unjust fully by the putin regime for his involvement in the YOKUS company crisis in 2003. You can read more story on this in the below website:

http://www.robertamsterdam.com/2007/10/platon_lebedev_statement.htm

As a result of the false allegations, all joint our accounts were frozen and properties confiscated except for a profiling amount of one hundred million United States dollars in cash, properly insured and sealed under the UN diplomatic core which my husband succeeded in depositing as consignment with a European depository firm before his arrest. Now that i am currently having problems with Authorities over my husband present circumstance, i had to source for a God fearing individual to stand as the beneficiary of the above quoted sum and also make immediate preparations to relocate me and my kids once the funds are secured. For your assistance in embarking on this task for us, you will receive thirty-percent of the total funds once the transaction is completed. Please note that this transaction is legitimate and all documents backing the funds will be provided upon your readiness to proceed. If you know you can do this, then contact me via private email: natlebdev@list.ru so that i can furnish you with more details but if for any reason you choose not to assist me, please destroy this mail and forget I ever contacted you because of our safety.

Thank you very much

Yours truly,
Mrs. Natalia Lebedev.
Private Email: natlebdev@list.ru

What you should know is, banks cannot confiscate any funds residing in bank accounts held with them. So “Philip” is lying to you from the start.

Other points which show that what he is telling you is a farce are,

1. the gmail and AOL email addresses,
2. Amsterdam is a main area where “Nigerian” crooks operate from in Europe and
3. what he is suggesting is illegal and is called embezzlement.

He is actually being very stingy, offering only 20% …..

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: MR PHILIP PRICE <infoprice@gmail.com>
reply-to: infophilip_price@aol.nl
Date: 2009/5/19
Subject: Hello,
To:

Hello,

I seek your assistance on a business transaction that will be of mutual benefits.
Please, read below the details of this transaction and what is required of you to get this transaction started:

Mr. Andrew Parker was my client for over a decade. He died of cardiac arrest in 2002. He had a deposit in the sum of US$45M with Delta Lloyd Finance Amsterdam.

The bank contacted me as Mr. Andrew Parker’s attorney to get his next of kin. I have not been able to get any of his relations. The bank now has the right to confiscate the funds if I do not produce his next of kin soonest. This is the reason why I contacted you so you can act as the next of kin.

If you reply this email by sending me your full name, address, telephone and fax number, I will prepare and send to you a memorandum of understanding which will have to be duly signed by both parties (your good self and I) as
an agreement, so as to protect the shares of both parties and to be in order by laws of your country and the laws of my country.

After the signing of the MOU, I will then email to you the death certificate of Andrew Parker. I will prepare Andrew Parker’s Will in your name. With the Will, I will then get the letter of administration from the probate office thereby making you the next of kin and the bona fide beneficiary of the funds.
I will forward the Will and the letter of administration to the Bank in Europe.
They will then contact you to come to their office to claim the said funds.
When you get to their office in Europe, you sign the funds release documents, they will then transfer the sum of US$45M into your nominated account.

When the funds are transferred into your nominated account, I will then travel to meet with you to share the proceeds. I will take 80% and you will take 20%.

I will exhort you to not only treat this transaction with the gravity it deserves, but also with urgency. May I reiterate that the importance of the confidentiality and speed in this transaction cannot be over emphasized.

Hence in bolstering of confidentiality you are advised against discussing with anyone or your bank the expectation of the funds until I advise you otherwise.
Please treat as urgent.

Send the information ASAP as time is of the essence.
Thank you and God bless.

Philip Price LLB

This week I received a message about an African banker who wants to transfer a few million dollars to my account – It came from the New York Times

The eradication of poverty in Africa is certainly a noble cause. But, ….

I am sure that most people don’t see that when they read this e-mail. The 25 million USD hits you in the eye, even before you get to the “facilitate eradication of poverty in Africa” part.

Just reading this e-mail, shows that African crooks often do have a good vocabulary – facilitate and tantamount are not words you see in every day language.

One small point shows that crooks don’t often think things through, or maybe they are targeting the US market, in the EU the currency is Euros and not Dollars.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: European Social Fund <eusocialfund15@me.com>
Date: 2009/2/20
Subject: EU AND UNO Developmental Projects.
To: recipients <Undisclosed>

European Union Social Fund.
Nussbaumstrasse 49, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
PHONE NUMBER: +41 796 475491

You have been chosen by the European Union Social Fund in conjunction with United Nations Organization as a recipient of $25,000.000.00 (twenty five million US dollars) Social Fund to facilitate eradication of poverty in Africa.

Beneficiaries of this fund are hereby directed to embark on grass root developmental projects in Africa which will enhance their standard of living. Your acknowledgment of this mail is tantamount to acceptance of this voluntary humanitarian assistance.

Yours faithfully.
Schmid Merez.

I find the subject line is remarkable.

The Africans have obviously recognised that trust, especially online, is necessary to enable them to get people to contact them.

What they have not recognised, is the fact that you can’t tell someone you are trustworthy, but you also have to prove it. Not only in word, but also in your deeds and how you treat people.

Of course, that is something the Africans don’t have the need or time for.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Fedric Obutu <fredrick7_obutu@yahoo.fr>
Date: 2009/2/20
Subject: Reply With All Trust Michael Holdcroft
To:

OBUTU CHAMBERS & ASSOCIATES.
SOLICITORS, ADVOCATES TRADE MARK AGENTS.
RUE,327 THEARTRE NATIONAL,BOULEVARD LOME TOGO.

RE:TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INHERITANCE CLAIM (US$10,500,000,00
—-

Attn       20-Feb-09
Michael Holdcroft

Please do not be offended if this message comes to you as I ought to have sought your consent and approval before e-mailing this proposal to you but I acted as I did due to the importance and urgency of this business. Which ever way you may look at it, let it please you to respond quickly either negatively or positively.

My name is Barrister Fedrick Obutu,I am a Legal representative, and Attorney to Late Mr Phillip Cornell. In the Year 2004, my client by name Mr.Phillip Cornell passed away,leaving behind a cash inheritance of Ten million Five hundred thousand United States Dollars ($10,500,000,00).My late client and bosom friend grew up in a “Motherless Babies Home”. He had no family, no beneficiary nor next of kin to the inheritance consignment left behind at the finance security company batch no xx2604AF. The Financial law of inheritance clearly allows for the deceased security company to use deceased consignment as deemed fit, should the inheritance consignment be left unclaimed after the death of the consignment owner.

As you may know,next of kinship is not limited to relation of the deceased,nor is it confided to the circuit of parental relationship,rather it is by choice of the benefactor as regards to whom he wish to make his WILL to(beneficiary) either formally by write up,or informally by secret information disclosure to beneficiary be him/her business partner,relations, Kinsmen,Or Friends or Well Wishers.and whereby the deceased did not mention anybody as the next of kin as in this case, then whoever that comes up with concrete information as contained in his account establishment file/record is assumed to be the next Of kin automatically, because you wouldn’t Have any knowledge of these secret information of the deceased if you are not his next of Kin Or close to him either by relationship or friendship as in private disclosure and i have all this informations and will forward it to you at the appropriate time.

I have contacted you to assist me in repartriating this fund left behind by my client before it gets confisicated or declared unserviceable by the Bank where this huge amount was deposited. The Bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have his account confisicated within the next twenty one official working days as the policy of the bank is to overrun over four years of unserviceable and dormant accounts.They have a veritable excuse as they knew that my client was dead.

Since I have been unsuccesfull in locating the relations all this while, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased. This is to enable us salvage the proceeds of his account and get it paid to you instead. I have this obssession that if the directors of the Bank confiscated the money, it might not be put into proper and useful ventures to benefit the poor masses of this world. I was contacted and all necessary burial arrangements were made and the remains of the family buried in the public cementary. Since then I have made several enquiries to locate any of my clients either blood families or the extended relations. My concerted search proved abbortive. Perhaps, you may not be related to him but it behoves on us to seize this golden opportunity to salvage his savings since I could not locate any relation of his either dead or alive..

The Inheritance Law clearly leaves the proof of who is or is not the next of kin, to the deceased Lawyer to prove. As the deceased Lawyer,the Law says l have the final say of who is the beneficiary of the deceased consighnment.

This is 100% percent legal. As a lawyer I know this.As this will be a testimony for you and me if you make up your mind,for the claim.

All I require from you is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through. I guarantee that this will be executed under legitimate arrangement that will protect you and me from any breach of the law. Therefore, should this proposal appeal to you and on receipt of your positive response, we shall then discuss the sharing ratio and modalities for transfer.

Regards,
Fedrick Obutu

Meltus Ade is attorney with 12.5 million US Dollars for you

Yes, the ill fated plane crash story keeps on cropping up, doesn’t it?

The question is, if you had 12.5 Million US Dollars would you still be working as a pilot?

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: meltus meltus <meltus_meltus2003@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 2008/12/20
Subject: RE: PLEASE TREAT AS MOST URGENT
To: recipients <undisclosed>

Urgent and confidential:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Barrister MELTUS ADE the lawyer to a Foreign Pilot who died in an air crash in the year 2002, in the illfated Kenyan AirWays.The late Pilot deposited the sum of US$12.5 Million with a Security Company. Due to the present predicament of my client, the family till now can not be located and me as their Attorney wish to contact you to act as his relation tosecure the release of the money from the Security and Finance Company and the Security Company has agreed to release the money through their Unit in either Europe or Asia which ever is nearerto you. or even arrange to reach you in a Country near to America or Canada as you want.For your effort and assistance to this and to facilitate the collection ofthe money, you will take 45% of the total money.and me and my Partners will have 45% while we shall 5% to the Charity Home and 5% will be set aside for all expences like telephone calls and all other expences that may arise in the cause of this transaction on our both sides.You will also assist me and my colleagues to invest our own share of the fund in your country since the family of my late Client is now and has remained unknown and I will not want this fund to be sent to the treasury or Vault.Please send me your phone No and reply through this email:   for quicker communications.Your reply is urgently expected
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Barr. MELTUS ADE

Which is a complete lie right from the beginning of his e-mail!

Just do a quick onsite search, upper right on this page. You will see this name has been often used before.

If you take a look at the BBC story through the link posted in this e-mail you will discover that the US Military found millions of US Dollars in Iraq during 2003.