The Infamous Nigerian Scam Letter

Editor's Note: This is basically the same scam (fraud) letter that has been coming out of Nigeria for at least 10 years. It used to come by US mail but now they are using e-mail.

The older letter was typed with poor English at times. It made you believe it was coming from a non-English speaker. Now this new letter sounds like it was written by a well educated English speaker. This letter wants you to commit a crime in this country and break the US banking regulations so you can make several Millions of dollars that was stolen out of Nigeria. In an investigative report I did for CBS-2 in LA I interviewed a small business owner who took part in this type deal and lost $5,000 and got nothing. If you agree to join this illegal operation the crooks running it will try and drain you dry of money. The business owner who lost the money said every time the Millions of dollars were about to be transferred into his bank account, they would quickly need another $2,000 bribe to get the funds released. He said "It was always someone else who just wanted a thousand or two dollars to let me get my millions. This East LA business owners told me, "like a fool I kept paying the bribes or Nigerian money transfer fees and etc. Of course I never got the Millions of dollars in my account, and they walked away with $5,000 of my money. He said, "I was a fool."

Here is a copy of the Nigerian Scam letter that was sent to me this past week. I edited out phone numbers and the writer's name.
 Judd McIlvain,  filed June 27, 2002.

FROM : THE DESK OF DR Mxxxx xxxxxxx
NIGERIA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC)
PRESIDENTIAL OFFSHORE OFFICE
LOME-TOGO.
DIRECT LINE: (PHONE):2XX-9XXX 9XX1
(FAX):2XX-2 1

GREETINGS ,

I feel pleased contacting you today hoping that this well timed contact will bring us together into a lasting relationship. I want to honestly confide in you and also seek your assistance to transact a well conceived and nurtured business I have at hand.

I am the Executive Director in charge of Contract Award Department of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC). Specially in 1998 a larger contract was awarded and using the power of my office, I carefully over-invoiced the contract to the tune of US $18 million (Eighteen million US dollars) the contractors have fully executed the contract and approvals have been given by the presidency to pay the contractor; I am presently here in Lom Togo as a member of the presidential monitoring team on NNPC + ECOWAS on joint venture in Africa under A.D.B. which will be of a great advantage to both of us as I will have the free will to effectively monitor this transaction with my colleagues in the ministry.

On the strength of this I am contacting you for you / your company's bank account where this over-inflated US $18 million shall be paid into. This is because since the contract was executed by a foreign firm, payment concerning the contract must be made into foreign account, again as a civil servant, I am restricted from operating a foreign account, because of the sensitive and confidential nature of this deal, I cannot make the mistake of relying on anyone here, hence I make you my choice.

If you help me to receive this money in your account, you will also help me to invest part of it overseas, I will use your bank account to apply for the money and relevant approvals shall be received in your favour, to your account and remittance made into it. This will take us only 18 working days to accomplish. We shall meet as soonas all approvals are received for face to face interaction, I am begging you to please remain honest to me. This is my future as I intend to voluntarily retire from service upon confirming the money in your account, I have done good underground work already. For all the expected assistance from you, you will get 15% of the US $18 million, 5% will take care of expenses that may arise from both sides while assuring you that there is no risk involved in this transaction, I want you to keep it a secret between two of us, I need your private phone and fax numbers, you can also reach me on my phone or fax numbers above.

Finally, call me on phone for comprehensive discussion and ask me questions where you do not understand, put your weight and understanding behind me and we shall make it a great success. This is a smooth and straight forward transaction. I am a reputable gentleman with a great desire to be comfortable in life and help the needy here. I look forward to a positive response from you.

Best regards.

DR. Mxxxx xxxxxx.