Story on the Nigerian email scammers
There was a one hour special on NBC last night about the West African email scammers.
All of us on gunbroker have been deluged with these emails. We just make jokes about them; I have wondered why they continue to send these stupid emails out.
They send 'em out because they make millions, according to this show on NBC.
They interviewed Pam Krause of Almond, Wisconsin. She got involved in one of these scams. She borrowed cash from her credit card, she cleaned out her savings account. She sent $18,000 to Nigeria, now, of course, all of it is lost.
If I had done something that foolish I wouldn't have appeared on tv to talk about it.
This woman said, she was just trying to help. She was trying to help a poor Nigerian princess recover $5 million. What Pam Krause didn't say was that her cut was going to be $2 million.
Well, I thought that was pretty bad, but the next case was much worse.
This was in a town in northern Michigan right on Lake Huron. The guy was the county treasurer. First, he scraped up money from his savings account and credit card, and he sent $15,000 to Nigeria. The scamsters convinced him to send more. He took out a second mortgage, and sent over $78,000 more.
The scammers convinced him to send much more. He didn't have any more, so he started dipping into the county funds.
They showed him being led down the courthouse steps, in the snow, in handcuffs. He had sent $1,200,000 of county funds to Nigeria.
He was indicted on 12 felony counts.
An FBI agent was interviewed. He said that about 10,000 Americans fall prey to West African email scammers annually.
All of us on gunbroker have been deluged with these emails. We just make jokes about them; I have wondered why they continue to send these stupid emails out.
They send 'em out because they make millions, according to this show on NBC.
They interviewed Pam Krause of Almond, Wisconsin. She got involved in one of these scams. She borrowed cash from her credit card, she cleaned out her savings account. She sent $18,000 to Nigeria, now, of course, all of it is lost.
If I had done something that foolish I wouldn't have appeared on tv to talk about it.
This woman said, she was just trying to help. She was trying to help a poor Nigerian princess recover $5 million. What Pam Krause didn't say was that her cut was going to be $2 million.
Well, I thought that was pretty bad, but the next case was much worse.
This was in a town in northern Michigan right on Lake Huron. The guy was the county treasurer. First, he scraped up money from his savings account and credit card, and he sent $15,000 to Nigeria. The scamsters convinced him to send more. He took out a second mortgage, and sent over $78,000 more.
The scammers convinced him to send much more. He didn't have any more, so he started dipping into the county funds.
They showed him being led down the courthouse steps, in the snow, in handcuffs. He had sent $1,200,000 of county funds to Nigeria.
He was indicted on 12 felony counts.
An FBI agent was interviewed. He said that about 10,000 Americans fall prey to West African email scammers annually.
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quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
There was a one hour special on NBC last night about the West African email scammers.
All of us on gunbroker have been deluged with these emails. We just make jokes about them; I have wondered why they continue to send these stupid emails out.
They send 'em out because they make millions, according to this show on NBC.
They interviewed Pam Krause of Almond, Wisconsin. She got involved in one of these scams. She borrowed cash from her credit card, she cleaned out her savings account. She sent $18,000 to Nigeria, now, of course, all of it is lost.
If I had done something that foolish I wouldn't have appeared on tv to talk about it.
This woman said, she was just trying to help. She was trying to help a poor Nigerian princess recover $5 million. What Pam Krause didn't say was that her cut was going to be $2 million.
Well, I thought that was pretty bad, but the next case was much worse.
This was in a town in northern Michigan right on Lake Huron. The guy was the county treasurer. First, he scraped up money from his savings account and credit card, and he sent $15,000 to Nigeria. The scamsters convinced him to send more. He took out a second mortgage, and sent over $78,000 more.
The scammers convinced him to send much more. He didn't have any more, so he started dipping into the county funds.
They showed him being led down the courthouse steps, in the snow, in handcuffs. He had sent $1,200,000 of county funds to Nigeria.
He was indicted on 12 felony counts.
An FBI agent was interviewed. He said that about 10,000 Americans fall prey to West African email scammers annually.
Stupid is as stupid does. 'nuff said.
Really, if people would be less controlled by greed and realize that if they took 1.5 seconds and thought it out, they'd click "Delete" just like the rest of the intelligent population.
FWIW, these people deserve to lose what they've got and deserve to be in the situation that they're in. If you're not willing to use the brains God gave you, then you shouldn't be responsible for things like, oh, say, money.0 -
An FBI agent was interviewed. He said that about 10,000 Americans fall prey to West African email scammers annually.
Most are probably eligible to vote.0 -
quote:Originally posted by chollagardens
An FBI agent was interviewed. He said that about 10,000 Americans fall prey to West African email scammers annually.
Most are probably eligible to vote.
Bet most are buying the crap Hillary feeds them hook, line and sinker, too.0 -
"Hell has three gates: lust, anger, and greed"
[:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by zipperzap
"Hell has three gates: lust, anger, and greed"
[:D]
It also knows no fury like a woman scorned...
Now, where are we going and what am I doing in this handbasket?0 -
I was listed on the GB FFL dealer search, and I had to get myself removed from the list. I would get emails that said they were from Africa or India and they were interested in buying large quantities of guns and they would pay with credit cards. Also I would get emails from people that said they were from the USA but not from my state, they said they wanted guns but only guns that were OFF THE BOOKS. Needless to say I just had myself removed from GB FFL search and it all stopped. I only did a couple of transfers a year anyway, and at 10 dollars a transfer I felt it wasn't worth it anyway. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by dan55362
I was listed on the GB FFL dealer search, and I had to get myself removed from the list. I would get emails that said they were from Africa or India and they were interested in buying large quantities of guns and they would pay with credit cards. Also I would get emails from people that said they were from the USA but not from my state, they said they wanted guns but only guns that were OFF THE BOOKS. Needless to say I just had myself removed from GB FFL search and it all stopped. I only did a couple of transfers a year anyway, and at 10 dollars a transfer I felt it wasn't worth it anyway.
I have been on there since GB started it, and I have never received any e-mail like you describe?? I wonder if you were being targeted (by you know who)?
Don0 -
quote:I have been on there since GB started it, and I have never received any e-mail like you describe?? I wonder if you were being targeted (by you know who)?
Don
Don
That did cross my mind [:D] as at the time I only had my FFL for less than a year. My buddy has been listed for years and he never had any issues ether. Just my bad luck I guess!0 -
That gentleman will probably be better off in prison with people to look after his affairs. The question which comes to my mind is how did anybody that stupid accumulate $78,000 home equity and $15,000 in cash to begin with. 0 -
quote:JamesRK
Advanced Member
USA
6303 Posts
Posted - 05/21/2007 : 12:01:26 PM
That gentleman will probably be better off in prison with people to look after his affairs. The question which comes to my mind is how did anybody that stupid accumulate $78,000 home equity and $15,000 in cash to begin with.
Probably the same place he got the 1.2 million from.0 -
that's what I was thinking, send him to W. Africa! 0 -
no one gets targeted, its just a blanket offensive move by the scammers. its just luck of the draw. we all got them one time or another. even if you took your name off the list, youll get called again. they never give up. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
no one gets targeted, its just a blanket offensive move by the scammers. its just luck of the draw. we all got them one time or another. even if you took your name off the list, youll get called again. they never give up.
Its been a year not one Email since I removed off the list. When I was on the list I would get about 2 a week.0 -
"Nigerian Scam" Treasurer Pleads Guilty
Contact: Rusty Hills or Matt Frendewey, Media Contacts 517-373-8060
Agency: Attorney General
May 8, 2007
LANSING - Attorney General Mike Cox today announced that former Alcona County Treasurer, Tom Katona, 56, has pled guilty as charged to embezzlement and forgery charges.
"Today is a victory for the people of Alcona County and the State of Michigan," said Cox. "My office is committed to protecting the trust in public officials and is committed to making sure public officials who violate their oath are held responsible."
Katona of Harrisville was arrested on January 17, 2007, for embezzling $1.2 million in county money in a well-known scam, commonly referred to as "Nigerian advance fee fraud." At the preliminary exam on January 31, 2007, witnesses testified that they had warned Mr. Katona that he might be involved in such a scheme. While Katona was on vacation in London, England, in late 2006, county treasurer employees learned from local bank officials that Katona had directed unauthorized wire transfers of county monies totaling $186,500. Six of the wire transfers were for overseas accounts to beneficiaries closely linked to the Nigerian advance fee fraud scheme. Michigan statute, MCL 129.12, bars public monies from being invested overseas.
Katona pled guilty to 8 counts of embezzlement, a 10-year felony; 1 count of attempted embezzlement, a 5-year felony; and 2 counts of forgery, a 14-year felony. Sentencing is schedule for June 12, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. in front of Judge William Miles at the 23rd Circuit Court.
Cox continued, "I applaud the hard work of the lawyers in my office, the Michigan State Police, Alcona County Prosecutor, and Michigan Department of Treasury staff, who worked hard to build this successful case against a corrupt public official."0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
no one gets targeted, its just a blanket offensive move by the scammers. its just luck of the draw. we all got them one time or another. even if you took your name off the list, youll get called again. they never give up.
Bob, I meant targeted by a certain government agency[:0][;)][:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by zipperzap
"Hell has three gates: lust, anger, and greed"
[:D]
Good to know I won't have to wait in line...0 -
No wonder so many Democrats are elected. 0 -
We can't single these people out as being especially stupid.
Gambling meccas like Las Vegas are continuously full of people who come to hit it big and believe their system will do it.
Blind faith can be a bad thing.0 -
This is going to ba my standard reply..to the several I get each day:
Dear Mr. Chukwu,
I have received your ee-lectronic letter concerning a GREAT OPPROTUNITY LEFT FOR US, namely An abandoned sum of $15,000,000.00 (fifteen million united states dollars only) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family of a wife and two children in november 1997 in a plane crash.
I am very grateful that you would consider me for this business deal. You see, I have been very fortunate in my life, and I would like to repay the kindness that has been bestowed upon me.
I used to be a poor mountaineer, barely kept my family fed. Then one day, I was shooting for some food, when up from the ground came bubbling crude (oil, that is, Texas tea, black gold...). First thing you know, I was a millionaire, my kin folk said, "Jed, move away from there!". Said "Californy's the place you oughtta be!" So we loaded up the truck and we moved to Beverley. (Hills, that is, swimming pools, movie stars).
I have lots of millions in banker Drysdale's vaults, but I'm not sure what to do with them. Maybe the good lord has sent you to help me along.
It would be just dandy if you & your kin came on over, so we could give you a heapin' helpin' of our hospitality.
Y'all come back, hear?
Uncle Jed0 -
quote:Originally posted by v35
We can't single these people out as being especially stupid.
Gambling meccas like Las Vegas are continuously full of people who come to hit it big and believe their system will do it.
Blind faith can be a bad thing.
Can we single out the ones who do it with the entire treasury of a small town? [:D]0
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