Monthly Archives: February 2012

Leap Day 32 years ago

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32 years ago I was almost 11.  Dad went to work, brother and I went to school, and mom and baby brother were doing whatever mom had planned for the day.  I was so excited because it was Friday and that meant our 6th grade class would play the other 6th grade class in softball or kickball.  It was a huge deal for us back then.  

But I didn’t get to play that day.  The principal came to the classroom door and told Mrs. Jefferson that I had to go home.  I groaned in disappointment as I packed my bag and prepared to leave.  Instead of going to the office, I started walking home.  On the walk, it hit me that something was wrong.  Panic welled up when I thought something had happened to mom.  I started to run when I heard a car horn.  There was mom, baby brother, and brother.  I grinned and got in, happy that she was okay.  I didn’t realize she wasn’t okay.

When we got inside, she sat us down and told us dad had died.  The world stop.  My dad was awesome, invincible.  He was fine when I last saw him the night before.  He had a heart attack at work. I don’t remember anything except crying after that.  Everyone crying.

Dad would pick Leap Day.  He was that kind of awesome.   I miss him every day, but some days are harder.  I wish he could have met his grandchildren. my husband, even my dogs.  I wish he could have seen what happened to WCW and WWE.  Wrestling was his thing and his take on those changes would have been amusing.  

Here’s to you, Henry.  You were loved.  You are missed.   

Once again I am inheriting a fortune

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:sigh:  I wish!  I have a teen playing baseball and another about to graduate high school.  A fortune would go a very long way, especially in the totals the spammers keep promising me.  I can make fun of the scammers while I dream of those dollars, right?

First up is the message from Helmut Schimanski.  This one is hard to read because, well, I’ll just show you.

From:  Helmut Schimanski (helmschim@e-mail.ua)

Subject:  Your payment passcode Transfer 2012

Attention : Beneficiary Be informed that all the fees you are supposed to pay before receiving your contract/inheritance fund have been waived off, except a processing fee of US$350. No other charges except this processing fee is required for the release of your fund. Your fund release PASSCODE is: 999-035-2655 (Fund Transfer confirmation Code). Your total fund valued ($10.5 Million) in addition with the accumulated interest will be electronically transferred into your account by yourself with this code after activation. This is newly introduced system of payment by the Central Bank of Nigeria to avoid the past experiences of incessant fraud, illegal extortion of money from beneficiaries and to enhance transparency. WHEN YOUR FUNDS ARE TRANSMITTED, THE MANAGEMENT WILL INFORM YOU, AND YOU WILL APPLY THE PASSCODE AS DIRECTED AND INSTANTLY, YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE CREDITED AND YOU WILL MOVE TO YOUR BANK TO CONFIRM THE FUND. Once the passcode is activated, you will personally transmit your fund with your telephone by following this guideline (You will dial our bank access code which shall be given to you after payment of the processing fee, a voice will then ask you to enter your Account Number followed by a #, after which a voice will again ask you to enter the above passcode and end it with another #. Automatically your account will be credited with your total fund without further delay. Any other contact or payment you make apart from the processing fee to anybody or office is at your own risk. All our email subject must have this code “TRANSFER 2012” for security reasons, any email that does not come with it as its subject is not from us, please guard this code and the above passcode jealously. Be informed that so many unauthorized individuals do parade themselves as our officials and impose bogus bills on our beneficiaries with their syndicates home and abroad. Take precautionary measure henceforth, you have been notified, and once we find out that you are one of the people that involve themselves with these unauthorized individuals, tarnishing the image of this great country we will immediately report you to the authorities because we are trying our best to restore the image of this great country. We are waiting for your urgent response. Yours faithfully, Dr. Helmut Schimanski Executive Director Corporate & International Banking UNION BANK PLC

Yes, this is the message as received.  It’s a jumbled mess, eh?  $10.5 million would take care of me, mine, friends, family, and charity for a while, but it’s not to be.   And remember, I need to guard the passcode “jealously.”  So, do I sit and stare at it from across the room  as if jealously is enjoying a sweet, sugary,yeasty doughnut that I cannot have?  I suppose that’s it.  And is this from the Central Bank of Nigeria or the Union Bank PLC?   I’m so confused.

What I’m not confused about is how stupid they think I am.   I can think of many other things to do besides hand them $350 and access to my bank account.

And by the way, e-mail.us points to a free email website in Russian.   A true sign that my point of contact, is legit.  SMH

Dr. Helmut Shimanski was not the only one promising me an inheritance.  Barrister Benson Bestman (say that three times fast) contacted me with his urgent message today.

From:  Barrister Benson Bestman (benbest@blumail.org)

Subject:  YOUR ATTENTION IS KINDLY NEEDED URGENTLY

We contacted you because you bear the surname identity and therefore can present you as the beneficiary to the inheritance since there is no written will.

Our legal services aim to provide our private clients with a complete service becoming the fund next of kin.

We are happy to prepare Wills, set-up and administer Trusts, carry out the Administration Of Estates, prepare and administer Powers Of Attorney.

All the papers will be processed in your acceptance. In your acceptance of this deal, we request that you kindly forward to us your letter of acceptance, your current telephone and fax numbers and a forwarding address to enable us file necessary documents at our high court probate division for the release of this sum of money in your favour.

Yours faithfully, 
Barrister Benson Bestman 
Call me and let us talk it confidentially on +447700011007 Send confidentai reply here: joycewilliam@126.com

Oy. Both BluWorld and 126.com offer free email accounts and 126.com is in Chinese.

Until these types are shut down, we have to protect ourselves.  Peace, all.

So, I Forgot to Complete the Paperwork for the Release of Funds

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AOL users are apparently bring targeted again.  Have you used your AOL email address lately?  I use mine for newsletter subscriptions, but for a while I ignored it.  Maybe these subscribers  have no idea their email addys are compromised.  In any case, my spam folder is full of fraudulent messages apparently from AOL users.

Dr.  Mansur Mukhtar from no telling where expects me to open the attachment from his email.  Silly scammer.

From:  DR MANSUR MUKHTAR (bevconn@aol.com)

Subject:  CONTACT ME NOW THROUGH (+234-8026296959, mansurmakhtar278@inbox.com), FOR THE RELEASE OF YOUR FUND

This is to officially inform you that we have verified your contract / inheritance file presently on my desk, and I found out that you have not received your payment due to your lack of co-operation and not fulfilling the obligations giving to you in respect to your contract/ Inheritance payment.
kind read the above mail attached for full details and get back to me now.
———
As if I trust you, user of two email addresses (one likely hacked), to send an uninfected attachment.  I barely open attachments from people I know if they arrive without forewarning.   Call me paranoid, but it’s what I do.
Hope this and other messages are helping you stay safe.

Secured Business Proposals of a Lifetime – Sadly Scams

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I love working from home and love the idea of finding another income stream that will make it possible for me to stick with one main thing while fooling about with other interests.  While there are legitimate business models that allow owners to make excellent incomes from home, the messages I received lately are anything but legit.

$20 million secured  proposal = scam.  Ah, Dr. Raymond Fung, you really should try harder.  Even better, just stop it:

From: Dr. Raymond Fung (eca@uma.es)  Note: By the way, .es domains are from Spain.  Uma.es is from the Univeridad de Malaga.

Subject:  Business Proposal

I am Dr Raymond Fung,Director of the Hang Seng Bank.I have a secured business proposal of 20 million for you.if you are interested please notify to send to me this information.

1. YOUR NAME:
2. YOUR RESIDENT ADDRESS:
3. YOUR OCCUPATION:
4. YOUR PHONE NUMBER:
5. DATE OF BIRTH:
6. COUNTRY OF RESIDENT:

Best Regards,

Dr. Raymond Fung

——-

Next up is a gem offering a $45.5 million transfer.  If only, eh?

Note:  the bold text and caps are from the original email.  I am not sharing the link posted in the message.

From:  Dr. Ibrahim Waziri (cmmhghrllr@aol.com)

Subject:  REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP TRANSFER OF $45,500,000

I am Dr. Ibrahim Waziri, a Group Executive Director in the Project and Planning Department of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), I head a seven man Tenders Board Committee in charge of contract award and Payment approvals.

Click here for more details and get back to me.

———–

So disappointing.  I don’t think these two are trying very hard.  Have you received either of these?

 


Two More Military Assets Scams

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I’ve blogged about this type of scam before and am still as disgusted now and I was then.

First up is Capt. Tony Hall, supposedly stationed in Afghanistan.

From:  Capt. Tony Hall (US Army 395th.CSSB u.stroop@us.army.mil) Note:  The domain us.army.mil made my anti-virus programs go ballistic.  Stay away. 

Subject:  Hi, Can you assist me with safe keeping of some military assets.?.  Note:  Interesting punctuation use, eh?

Hi, My Name is Cpt.Tony Hall and I work with the US Army as a section commander in the 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, stationed here at FOB Salerno Camp in Khowst Afghanistan. I am part of the troops still remaining to complete the later part of the war plan down here, and I really need you to help to assist me with the safe keeping of two military trunk boxes that are located somewhere safe which I would be disclosing to you once i get your positive response. I am assuring you that this project am bringing to the table will be of mutual interest to the both of us and will never expose you to any form of risk. Kindly get back to me ASAP so I can feed you with more information on how this project would be carried out.

God Bless,

Cpt.Tony Hall

US ARMY
—————–

Capt. Anita George contacted me again as well.  I wonder when she’ll get the hint and give up?   I added a few notes within the body of this one in italics.

From:  Anita George (alcornoque1@aol.com)

Subject:  Message from Capt. Anita George

Greetings,

I know you will be surprised to read my email. I got your contact from your Email domain, apart from being surprise you may be skeptical to reply me because based on what is happening on the internet world, one has to be very careful  because a lot of scammers are out there to scam innocent citizens and this has made it very difficult for people to believe anything that comes through the internet but this is a different case.

lf you are willing to show me your honesty and trust, I think I will be able to trust and work with you. I am an American and you should be rest assured that I cannot be invovled in scam (Note:  Because no American has ever been involved in scams?)

My name is Capt. Anita George , a member of the U.S. ARMY USARPAC MedicalTeam, which was deployed to Iraq at the beginning of the war in Iraq. Although the war has ended, for me to proved this to you, see the site below for more information,

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/30/iraq-us-troop-withdrawal-celebrations_n_1176330.html

http://dailycaller.com/2011/12/27/as-iraq-war-ends-no-parade-for-troops-is-imminent/

>Note:  Supposedly linking to news articles about the end of the war makes this message legitimate.  Yeah, I believe it. 

But I refused to come along with them inrespective of the fact that the war has ended. The reason for this is that I deposited two consignment boxes with a security company in Iraq. As a result of this, I have to escape and stayed behind to make sure that I am able to get these boxes out before coming to America, knowingly, that if I am able to get this done I will live a better life.  Please, I want this to be between me and you Since I am at large.

To Prove my sincererity, you are not sending me any money. Because most of this scam is about sending money.

Though, I would like to hold back some informations for security reasons for now until you have found time to visit the BBC website stated below to enable you have an insight into what I intend sharing with you, believing that it would be of your desired interest one-way or the other.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm

http://www.jonathanforeman.com/military/nyp_iraq/04192003_chest.html

http://www.voanews.com/burmese/archive/2003-04/a-2003-04-20-1-1.cfm  (VOA NEWS)

Note:  Again, sharing news articles about the spoils of war do not make this message any more legitimate.  It just shows the scammer can successfully run Google searches.

Also, could you get back to me having visited the above website to enable us discuss in a more clarifying manner to the best of your understanding. I must say that I’m very uncomfortable sending this message to you without knowing truly if you would misconstrue the importance and decides to go public. In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence of this message is strictly for mutual benefit between you and I and nothing more.

I will be vivid and coherent in my next message in this regards, meanwhile, could you send me an email confirming that you have visited the site and that you have understood my intentions? I would like you to get back to me with with the following informations;

1. Full Name

2. Address

3.Occupation

4.Age

I do not need your telephone number because I cannot call you, we can only communicate through email.

I will await your reply via my email.

Thanks,

Best Regards

Capt. Anita George

———————

Apparently, Captain George has been busy.   In addition to going AWOL and stashing found money, she’s been trying to woo unsuspecting suitors.

Disgusting criminals become even more disgusting because of the methods they choose.

Be safe.

A Bank Official in Hong Kong Wants to Share an Account Balance With Me

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:sigh: This variation of the 419 Nigerian scam mixes in a fallen soldier with no next of kin.  This may be a little hard to read, but here it is as originally received.

—

From: Zhang, Li (li.zhang.2012@anderson.ucla.edu)  Notice this is a student email address.

Subject: Your Earliest Response To This Letter Will Be Appreciated.

Dear Friend,

Let me start by introducing myself.I am Mr Cheung Pui director of operations of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd HongKong.I have an obscured business suggestion for you. Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Major Fadi Basem who was with the Iraqi forces and also businessman, made a numbered fixed deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of( 24.5 million, Twenty four million, Five Hundred thousand British Pounds ) only in my branch. Upon maturity several notices was sent to him, even during the war which began in 2003. Again after the war another notification was sent and still no response came from him. We later found out that the
General along with his wife and only daughter had been killed during the war in a bomb blast that hit their home. After further investigation it was also discovered that Major Fadi Basem did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at my office that ! no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So,( 24.5 million, Twenty four million, Five Hundred thousand British Pounds ) is still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it. What bothers me most is that according to the laws of my country at the expiration 10 years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. Against this backdrop, my suggestion
to you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Major Fadi Basem so that you will be able to receive his funds.

MODALITIES:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall come out successful. I have an attorney that will prepare the necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to Major Fadi Basem, all that is required from you at this stage is for you to provide me with your Full Names so that the attorney can commence his job. After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also fill in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and of probate in your favour for the move of the funds to an account that will be provided by you.There is no risk involved at all in this matter, as we are going to adopt a legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents. Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue. 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 yo! ur, 1,Full names,2,private phone number,3,current residential
address, your age. And I will prefer you reach me on my private email address below: ( cheungpuihk90@rogers.com ) and finally
after that I shall provide you with more details of this operation and it is going to be successful.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Regards,
Mr Cheung Pui.

—-
Why use a student email address when the sender is supposed to be in Hong Kong?  If you weren’t sure before if the message was spam, this is a big tell.  If the sender’s personal email address is included within the message, then why use a different email address – with a different name – to send the message?  And why would a bank official in Hong Kong use a Canadian Internet Service Provider?

A second clue is the change in the soldier’s rank. At first, Fadi Basem is called Major, then later he’s called General. Even if
his rank changed, you would think the writer would address him by his rank at the time of death and not list both.

So many holes in this one.

Be safe.