From The Naked PC issue #5.04...

The Best of Nigerian Letters

by T.J. Lee
February 14, 2002

I've warned our readers about the infamous Nigerian letter before. It's an old-time confidence game that's been refitted for the world of free email accounts and mass spammings. If you've never heard of the Nigerian Letter scam check out this previous article:
http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/504/tr.cgi?jim1

Anyway, a number of you have shared with me the letters you've received so I'd thought I list some of the more interesting here.

TNPCer Mark S. forwarded me a note he'd received from the desk of Prof. Tanko Bunu via the good prof's free Yahoo email account, and who is with the Federal Government Of Nigeria Contract Review Panel. It's an offer of 20% of an undisclosed sum if he can park some funds in Mark's bank account. Apparently realizing that he forgot to mention the amount Mark would get, the Prof sent another message that same day telling Mark he'd make a spiffy "overseas partner" into whose account the Prof and his fellow review panel cohorts would transfer "the sum of US$38,020,000.00 (Thirty-eigth million, twenty thousand United States dollars)" (sic).

TNPCer TM shared an offer from Dr. Andrew Coker on behalf of the Director of Contracts and Finance Allocation of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Nigeria. Seems the good doctor needs an overseas agent to whom he can entrust "USD$15.4Million (Fifteen Million, Four Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)" and is willing to give up 30% for TM's help. Dr. Coker also transacts his business via a free Yahoo account.

Meanwhile, TNPCer Judy B. shares that Mohammed Abacha, who she was assured is the son of the late General Sani Abacha, who apparently was the former military head of state in Nigeria is in need of a foreign partner to whom he can pass the cool "sum of US$75,000,000.00 (seventy five million United States dollars)" for a percentage to be negotiated with Mohammed's lawyer Hama Clifford who uses a free Lycos email account.

Apparently Nigeria is awash with cash just dying to get out of the country. Not to be outdone I've seen where a Mr. Moshood Mobutu Sese Seko, son of the late President Mobutu Sese Seko of Congo Democratic Republic wants to move $50 Million out of the CDR and will gladly pay 20% for some minor assistance.

Finally, Azizi Anam from Sierra Leone only has Sixteen Million United States Dollars (USD$16 000 000.00) to transfer into friendly hands. This is another deal where the percentage to the person willing to act as his overseas business manager is negotiable.

It seems the majority of the letters shared by our readers come from Nigeria with a smattering from other remote parts of the globe. The one thing all these letters have in common is the belief on the part of the authors in the maxim coined by Mr. P.T. Barnum, "There's a sucker born every minute."

You can reach T.J. Lee at:
mailto:tj_lee@TheNakedPC.com

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