Unwanted emails (spam)
The Reffell Family History website regularly receives unwanted emails (also known as 'spam'), even though the email address is not displayed on the site it is not that difficult to find. Many spam emails are automatically sent out to every email address permutation possible. A phenomenal amount of bandwidth is therefore wasted across the global networks by the people who produce this rubbish. Most spam received by the website is deleted without consideration (I have more than enough Viagra, thank you), but there are a worrying number that attempt to extort money from people and this page shows some examples that have been received. The generic term for the principle behind these emails is a West African 419 scam, after the internal Nigerian laws covering this area. Despite the name, scams nowadays originate from all over the world, including the former Soviet Union and the Far East. For official advice click on the Metropolitan Police logo. There are also a number of websites that are vigilante spam 'baiters', such as the 419 Eater and Scamorama.
Some scams are vaguely amusing (if not a little predictable) in the way that they portray good decent people who had been callously swindled out of a extremely large amount of money, usually involving a dramatic death; car accident, assassination etc. They all promise the chance to make a lot of money from apparently uneducated people (note the deliberate use of spelling mistakes, poor punctuation etc.). Such money, of course, never actually materialises.
A small selection of those received are copied below for your amusement, please remember that these are not nice people so do NOT respond to them!
1) From nelsonkali@uymail.com
ATTENTION.
Naturally this letter will come to you as a surprise since we do not know
each other, please permit me however to introduce myself. I am Nelson
Kofi Ali, a staff of the Ministry of Finance and Economic planning here
in Ghana. At the risk of boasting, I wish you to understand that I am a
top personal aid to the Minister and therefore, I am privy to several
pieces of information. This aside, I am the secretary to the Contract
payment committee. Subsequent upon the recent debt relief granted by the
G8 Nations to the Republic of Ghana, the Government under the leadership
of his Excellency, President John A. Kufour, has decided to pay off all
the accumulated back-log of contract debts owed to both local and foreign
contractors.
However, some of these contract debts span from the regime of his
excellency, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah down to the PNDC government of
Flt. Lt. John J. Rawlings and to his NDC government days even to the
first tenure of President Kufour. To this effect, some of the contractors
can no longer be traced as they have tried severally to receive their
payment without success. Obviously, some may have died.
The proposal:
I wish to implore you to come in as our partner to claim the sum of $45
Million United States Dollars which is payment due some contractors who
built the Akosombo Hydro-electric dam. The contract was divided in 3
phases. The civil contractors, the water engineers and the electrical
engineering companies. I understand that you may not know anything about
this subject and you may not even be conversant with the procedure for
building a dam. But do not worry as we have covered all the bases.
All we need to do is apply for an initial payment of $15 Million United
States Dollars for the first phase of the contract. As soon as this is
successfully transferred to your account, we will apply for the other
balance. You do not need to worry about the original contractors. This has
already been taken care of. We removed some of the files when we took them
for review. All we have to do is replace them with your company details.
As soon as this is done, we shall approve your file for immediate payment.
Once again, do not worry about this, it will be approved.
We have estimated that it will take between 10 and 14 working days to
complete this project. Should you wish to participate, please contact me.
You may be worried about the legitimacy of this, you may also be worried
about if it were found out. The answer is do not worry, everything has
been carefully thought out and planned. Should you have any questions of
whatever nature, please do not hesitate to ask me. By the way, you may be
worried as well, that this is a scam. There is no need for you to worry.
Upon request, I can obtain and send to you, the official gazette
approving the loan payment. We do sincerely hope to work this out with
you.
As regards what?s in it for you, we propose a sharing ratio of 70:30. 70%
for us and 30% for you. If you have any problems with this, please note
that we are open to negotiations so long as they are reasonable. Do accept
our heart felt good wishes as I look forward to your response.
I am with very kind regards,
Nelson.
2) From franciskwaku09@centrum.cz
Dear,
I am Mr. Francis Kwaku contacting you in regards to a business deal concerning money transfer from a deceased account. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive and worried, but I am assuring you that all will be well because I have all it will take us to make it.
PROPOSITION I discovered an abandoned sum of money in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family. Since his death, none of his Family or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir. The cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the relation to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines. Upon this discovery, I now seek your permission to have you stand as a relation to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by us for the fund to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's relation. It may interest you to note that I have secured from the probate an order of mandamus to locate any of deceased beneficiaries. Please acknowledge the receipt of this message in acceptance of deal. I only need your mobile phone number and your name.
These requirements will enable me file a letter of claim to the appropriaten departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can be made. We are going to share the total sum on final conclusion of this project, and I will like to invest in your country.If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust i have bestowed in you, I await your reply mail.
Regards, Mr. Francis Kwaku
N:B.You should understant that this is a business deal so you and I need to be careful.
3) From: Stephen P Edward. London. United Kingdom
It is my pleasure to inform you that our search of the family tree/pedigree
through http://www.familysearch.org/ has revealed that you are a family
member of my deceased client as given by your email from the search. My
deceased client lived at #6, Collinwood Close, Stirlingshire FK1 5JF, United
Kingdom until his demise in August 4th 2002. All the effort to locate his
family members has been unsuccessful as regard the inheritance of his
fortune left behind as bank deposit and some other landed properties. I
happen to be his Personal Solicitor and I have discovered that no Heir exist
to claim his fortune as his only heiress, his late wife is apparently dead
too and cannot lay claim to this fortune. Hence, I had to ensure that I find
his family members and of course that is the reason why you are being
contacted by this means. I apologize for our medium of communication, as it
might be similar to those used by some unscrupulous persons. However, this
is entirely different, as I shall take care of legal matters in accordance
with the inheritance ordinances of the United Kingdom. The details of his
death, these properties and bank deposits shall be disclosed when you
contact me.
It may interest you to know that I am in possession of all the Documents
pertaining to the Properties and Bank Deposits of your deceased
Uncle/Brother/Cousin/Husband or Nephew and also have the legal power to
verify and validate you as his heir for this claim. I must emphasize here
that this fortune shall be confiscated at the end of the second financial
quarter if no one comes for the claim, as is the practice and also indicated
in the EU banking guidelines.
Therefore, you are required to contact asap by email or telephone.
Name: Steven Edward
213A Clapham Road SW9 0QH, London
United Kingdom
Direct Line: +44 702 407 6939
Direct Fax: +44 207 681 1190
Mobile No.: +44 792 224 2864
Thank you,
Steven Edward
The Deceased's Solicitor
4) From mrs.saviourtoya@yahoo.fr
Dear Friend,
I am Mrs.Saviour Toya from Ivory Coast. I am a widow being that I lost my husband a couple of some years ago. My husband was a serving director of the Cocoa exporting board until his death . He was assassinated 2002 by the rebels following the political uprising.Before his death he had a huge sum of money up to the tune of $9 Million dollars that he deposited in one of the banks here in Côte d'Ivoire which he made my son Micheal Toya as the next of kin to the money.
I want you to do me a favour to receive this funds to a safe account in your country or any safer place as the beneficiary so that i will come over to your country with my only son.
I have plans to do investment in your country, like real estate and industrial production. This is my reason for writing to you. Please if you are willing to assist me and my only son, indicate your interest in replying soonest i will ofer you 20% of the total money.
Thanks and best regards .
Mrs. Saviour Toya and Son
5) From song-li@live.com
Hang Seng Bank
Operations Dept.
Hong Kong,
China.
Good Day,
Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr. SONG LILE director of
operations of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd. Please do understand that I will
need you to assist me in executing this Business Project from Hong Kong to
your country.
I know we have not met before but the world without strangers is
incomplete that this why i have contacted you for the purpose of this
project and i know with God all things are possible and i am giving you my
confident. Know it is only one day people get to know one
another.
Nineteen millions Five Hundred Thousand United State Dollars only in my branch. Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue. This funds has been in my disposal for quite sometime now and i need a sincere and faithful partner as well as a serious person to handle this project. Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall then share in the ratio of 70% for me, 30% for you.
Should you be interested please send me your,
1,Full names,
2,private phone number,
3,current residential address,
Finally after that I shall provide you with more details of this
operation. And I will prefer you reach me on my private email address
below
Email: song-li@live.com
Kind Regards,
Mr Song Lile.
6) From promo@kiamotorcars.com (allegedly) kia.motors2008@live.com (actual)
KIA MOTORS CAR / CASH AWARD PRIZE NOTIFICATION.!!!!
We are pleased to inform you that your email address has just won you the sum of 1,500,000.00GBP And a Brand New KIA PICANTO CAR. for more details on how to claims your winning prize, you are advice to contact your Fiduciary agent via email.
Name: Mr.Richard Williams
E-mail: kia.motors2008@live.com
Telephone: +44 704 574 4142
Also contact him with this following information requested.
1. FULL LEGAL NAMES:______________
2. ADDRESS OF RESIDENCE:__________
3. NATIONALITY:___________________
3. SEX:___________________________
4. PHONE / FAX:___________________
5. MARITAL STATUS:________________
6. AGE:___________________________
8. CURRENT OCCUPATION:____________
Congratulation, from the entire managment of kia motors limited UK