The Nigerian scam - in new packaging
May 29th, 2007In our line of business, we get to meet a lot of people. We sponsor life mastery seminars in both the US and Canada as well as health shows. Among the tons of people we meet at these events, “Ernie” was one of them. His real name is not Ernie Flipflop, but that’s what we’ll call him.
Ernie is neither American or Canadian, nor does he live in Continental America. He called us once at 1AM here (apparently he forgot about the eight hour time difference) and when I woke up to look at the caller ID it showed a long string of numbers and no name. And by ‘long string of numbers’ I really do mean a lot of numbers—like 15. Ernie is currently in Africa, and this is where this story begins.
Several nights ago the phone rang at something like 3 or 4 in the morning. I saw the caller ID and saw the 15 digit long string of numbers and ignored the call. My mother (whom the I presumed to be Ernie would be calling for) was working a night shift that night and therefore was not home.
Two days ago, my mother decided to call the number back. A woman answered, and this is how the conversation went:
Lady: Hello?
Mother: Hi, is Ernie there?
Lady: Who?
Mother: Ernie Flipflop?
Lady: Who?
Mother: Sorry, I think I may have the wrong number..
Lady: Just hold on a second.
{Silence while the lady hands the phone over to the man}
Man: Hello?
Mother: Ernie! It’s Renee from (company name here).
Man: ..Where?
Mother: {city here} at the {seminar name here}
Man: OOOOOOH, Renee!
My mother and this “Ernie” (whom she soon realizes is not the real Ernie, or the at least the Ernie she is looking for) start to talk. Whenever mother asks specific questions, like “how are you enjoying the juice?” he evades the question. She asked several specific questions he never answered, and that’s when she started realizing something very weird was up.
Then, the turning point: “My dear Renee… My late father just died.”
Now, if any of you have ever heard of the Nigerian scam or its spinoffs you will imediately know where this is going. But my dear mother had never heard of any Nigerian scam, nor did she know where this was going. After a couple minutes of conversation, Ernie asked if she would be “online” (meaning in her inbox) - She said yes, they hung up, and she sent him an email as he requested.
The email conversations are included below if you’re looking for a long, terribly written read. But in a nutshell, my mother has two phone numbers (he gave her different one than the one she had called back) of a scammer. She talked to one of them–on the phone!
If you do decide to read the emails below, keep an eye out for the following:
HOW TO SPOT A NIGERIAN SCAMMER, OR ITS SPINOFF:
1. BAD SPELLING AND GRAMMAR.
According to Sillicon.com’s special report on the Nigerian money scam this is a common factor in these scams. You’d think that after swindling the US alone of $100 million they’d learn to write in English properly, or at least try a bit harder. Geesh.2. THE “GOD” CARD, IF YOU USE IT FIRST.
Overused to the point where you want throw up.3. IDENTITY CRISIS.
A lack of consistancy in his various names.4. HOW HE CAN’T EVEN SPELL THE NAME OF THE PERSON HE IS IMPOSTERING RIGHT!
He goes from “Desire Adams” to “Enrie Desire Adams” to finally “Ernie.”
Now, on to the emails..
To: desireadam@yahoo.com
From: Renee
It was nice talking to you. I would like send my deepest sympathy on the loss of you father. i hope I did ‘nt phone at a bad time- the time to spend with your family and support all the grieving family.Please take care of yourself!
It is getting late 0140 hrs so I am signing off.
Bye bye
God bless,
Renee
–
To: Renee
From: desireadam@yahoo.com
Dear Renee.
Thanks for your deepest sympathy on the lost of my late father. you’re so such a kind and appreciable dare one to spend a lifetime with,your voice i heard today made me so much proud of you Renee, you are GREAT you’re an angel and sent one from the above, i believe.i just want to say thanks and i appreciate your every efforts in my life and family may God keep us strong and faithful with his love and passion,to eternity. your call today made me reliable and trustworthy to write you.My late father’s death.He was among the few black rich farmers murdered in cold blood by the agent of the ruling government of president ROBERT MUGABE for his alleged supports and sympathy for Zimbabwean opposition party.Before the death of my father,he
Deposit the sum of Nine million .US Dollars ($9.m) with a security and finance company, as if he knew the looming danger in my country. the money was deposited as a gem or precious stone to avoid much demur rage from the security firm.This money was earmarked for the purchase of new machinery and chemicals for the farms and the establishment of new farms in Lesotho and Swaziland. Access of this business depends on how secret it is kept. Expecting your reply soonest.
Best Regard.
God bless you so much
Desire Adam
–
To: Renee
From: desireadam@yahoo.com
I hope you got my mail i sent to you my dear Renee. waiting to hear from u soon. pls call me
Best Regards
Enrie Desire adam
–
To: desireadam@yahoo.com
From: Renee
I think I phoned the wrong person. I am looking for Mr. Ernie Flipflop who lives in {city}.. He did tell me he is going to Africa- maybe he used your phone to phone me. We have a business connection (christian). You seem to be a very nice person and I certainly don’t mind talking to you, but can you tell me how to contact Mr. Ernie Flipflop?
Again, I really emphatize (imagine what it feels like to be in your position) and deal with the myraid of different emotions that you and your family are dealing with at this time. Remember to take everything to God in prayer and He will get you through.
Waiting to hear from you.
God bless you and your family
Best regards
Renee.
–
To: Renee
From: desireadam@yahoo.com
hi Renee was happening i hope u are ok pls give me a call now i am trying yours but invail
God loves you truly my dear help me as beneficiary to this fund
–
To: Renee
From: desireadam@yahoo.com
Hi my dear Renee,
thanks for your immediate reponse to my mail, iam so much happy to hear from you my dear, i have been trying your number but it’s not going throuh,but to God be the glory you mail me. my dear Renee i really cant figure out the enerst you are talking about i belive is me,this name is my id name.to it apart my dear i so much thank God for your prence in mylife, i want to tell you iam much so proud,trust and faithful in you my dear,now as iam the ederly child and next of kin to this 9million usd my late father deposited befor his death, please iam calling on your help hands in the name of God amighty our saviour to stand for me as my foreign pathner and beneficiary to this fund and help me claim with your name from the security company here in africa to your country for me,as soon as you claim this fund in your name for me, my dear Renee i will be coming to you in your country immediately so you can tell me what we use it for,but i will like to invest in it with you in your country.all i need from you now with the fear of the lord our God is to accept to be my beneficiary to this fund,this fund is my future inheretance from my late father.i so much trust in you,you are so wanderful and God fearing daugther that is why iam sharing my private affairs with you.please you dont need to be worry my dear, my late father lawyer is there to make everything go easy for you and i,and every documents about it, showing my late father deposited such sum with a security comapny is with me,i just need your assistance as my forieng pathner to the claimship of the money to your name.pleas call me on my phone cause your number is not going throuh.i need your personal number
waiting to hear from you my dear sent one from above,RENEE.thanks
Best Regard,
Enrie
–
To: Renee
From: desireadam@yahoo.com
MY DEAR I SENT YOU MAIL IN G-MAIL PLEASE CHECK AND GET BACK TO ME
PEACE.
ERNIE
hey this was very intriguing and useful, thanks for the tips.
June 28th, 2007 at 3:54 pm