10.5.06
West African economies: You know those scam emails from Sani Abacha, or whoever, proclaiming that if you help move some large fortune out of Nigeria and into your bank account, that you can keep 30% (or whatever) of it? Yeah, I get those all the time. Like this one:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Mr. Onyeguke Collins, Bank Manager of Standard Trust Bank Plc, Lagos Branch. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On June 6, 2000, an American Oil consultant/contractor with the South Africa Minning Corporation, Mr. Charles Andason made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$15,500,000.000 (Fifteen Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from the South Africa minning Corporation that Mr. Charles Andason died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin were fruitless. I therefore made further investigation and discovered that Mr. Charles Andason did not declare any kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank.
This sum of US$15,500,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it and according to my country Law, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigeria Government if nobody applies to claim the fund. Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Charles Andason so that the fruits of this man labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials.
This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full names and address so that the Attorneys will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits which will put you in place as the next of kin. We shall employ the service of an Attorney to process and notarization all the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor in order for the transfer to take place. A bank account in any part of the world which you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 70% for me and 30% for you. There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by an Attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.
If you are interested, please reply immediately so I shall then provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction.
Please be rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards.
Mr. Onyeguke Collins.
I know that Scott Adams has talked about this, in whichever book (I think it was this one, but can't remember for sure. In any case, he surmises that such scams constitute the majority of the Nigerian economy. And that scams like this one:
GREETINGS.
FROM Ms Chima Amaka.
ATTN.,
I am Mrs Chima Amaka, from the Democratic Republic of Sierra-Leone nationality, and the wife of former Director of Diamond company in Sierra-Leone of the blessed memory who was assasinated by unidentified hoodlums.
Immediately after my husband's assasination,I left Sierra-Leone with my only son to Togo a country in West Africa,with some valuables and cash of fifteen million dollars($15million usd)These fund are deposited in a Security Company here in Togo as a
family treasure, hence they do not know what is the actual content of the consignment.
Meanwhile, I want to leave Togo entirely with this money for investment in your country because of the future of my only child.I would highly appreciate you to assist me and a certain percentage of the money will be given to you for your assistance.
I think I really got so much to offer you different colors and units.
Wish to hear from you soonest.
God bless you and your family.
Best regards,
Mrs Chima Amaka
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1ยข/min.
are really Nigerian scams in disguise.
Still funny to me. Especially these days. Is there anyone who doesn't know that they aren't scamming you? Anyone? Bueller?
Hockey: I hate the Avalanche. Not as much as I hate the Pengwhines or the Rangers, but I haven't cared for the Avs since that punk-ass frog Claude Lemieux took his cheap shot at Kris Draper. So I laughed at the Avs when Joffrey Lupul scored four goals, the last in overtime, to put them down 3-0 in the conference semifinals. Hee hee!
But seriously, I'm pulling for an all-Canadian final (which may be a far-fetched thing with both teams down 2 games to none as I type (Ottawa is tied 2-2 in the 3rd game in Buffalo...just as a side note, is it just me, or do Buffalo fans have, far and away, the biggest inferiority complexes in professional sports? Just asking).
Later,
Ryan
