For years my inbox, along with yours and everyone else's on the planet, has been inundated with get-rich-quick schemes usually involving a dead African and millions in dollars or Krugerrands or diamonds, etc.
This is called generically an Advance Fee Fraud, but because so many of its modern perpetrators are Nigerians, it became universally known as the Nigerian Letter or the 419 Scam (after the appropriate article of Nigerian law).
So it was with a mixture of relief and amusement that yesterday I got an email from someone representing himself to be one Captain James Adams, currently on duty in Iraq.
Here's what my new good buddy had to say:
I am CPT Adams, James of the US Marine Force on Monitoring and Peace keeping mission in Baghdad-Iraq. I know this may not be the proper way of contacting you based on the nature of my proposal but this is the only means avaliable to me here.You gotta hand it to these guys, they just don't give up.
On the 27th day of August 2006, we were alerted on the sudden presence of some Terrorists camping in a suburb not too far from Karbala here in Iraq. After Immediate intervention, we captured three (3) of the Terrorists, twenty-six (26) were killed leaving seven (7) injured.
In the process of torture they confessed being rebels for late Ayman al-Zawahiri and took us to a cave in Karbala which served as their camp. Here we recovered several guns, bombs and other Ammunitions including some boxes among which one filled with hard drugs(cocaine) and the other two to my amazement contain some US Dollars amounting to $17.2M. I however instructed my junior intelligent officers to keep this in high secrecy.
I am in keen need of a reliable and trustworthy person like you who would receive, secure and protect these boxes containing the US Dollars for me till my assignment elapses in here in Iraq as the boxes have already been moved out of Iraq. I assure and promise to give you 25% of this fund, however feel free to negotiate what you wish to have as your percentage in this business.
Please assure me of your keeping this topmost secret to protect my job with the US Monitoring and Peace-Keeping mission. If you will assist me, please send me your response including your name, telephone and address to my personal email: jamesadams_76@yahoo.com.hk
Sincere regards,
CPT Adams, James
And now, for an interesting response to these jokers, see the scam-baiting Scam-o-rama: The Lads from Lagos page, wherein, among other things, an erstwhile victim turns the tables on his new best buddies and gets them to send HIM money! Priceless.
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9 Comments:
It must be the day for innovative spammers!:) I just got my first "Jesus Freak" spam yesterday. I trimmed it down vastly, so as not to waste your bandwidth.....
DONATION FOR THE LORD
From: Mrs. Monica Tema
PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO USE IT FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD.I am the above name person from Sierra-Leone. I am married to Dr Ebenezer Tema who worked
with Sierra Leonian Embassy in South Africa for nine years before he died
in the year 2001. We were married for eleven years without a child. He died
after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we
were both born again Christians and we lived happilly. Since his death,
I decided not to re-marry or get a child outside my matrimonial home which
the Bible is really against. When my late husband was alive he secured $15Million (Fifteen Million U.S.Dollars) with financial institution here in Cote D'Ivoire. Presently, this.........from all the test conducted on my health, I am not going to last long, expecially, due to my cancer and stroke.
..............I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health, and because of the presence of my husband's relatives around me sometimes..............
Remain blessed in the name of the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs Monica Tema
And all this time I thought Jesus Freaks didn't have a sense of funny!:)
Thanks for the tip, however, this is not of the Lord, this is evil and greed.
This is a scam and all to often people are suckered into giving money they do not have, sort of like they do on TBN with the wolves in sheep's clothing asking for money.
Hi Sir,
I too received the "Monica Tema" email. I was going to just delete it when I noticed she started talking about Jesus so I paid more attention because I am a Christian. The more I read the more frustrated I was that, again, someone would use God's name to scam money. I'm sorry if you've had bad examples of people who were supposedly representing Jesus. I pray you find someone, someday, who is a true, integrous example of someone with a relationship with Jesus.
I to received an e-mail identical to the one posted above. I to was pulled in because it mentioned Jesus and the children of god. This woman should rot in hell. This is extortion and God or Heaven or Jesus should not be pulled into such a scam like this. Shame on her!
I to received an e-mail identical to the one posted above. I to was pulled in because it mentioned Jesus and the children of god. This woman should rot in hell. This is extortion and God or Heaven or Jesus should not be pulled into such a scam like this. Shame on her!
I to received an e-mail identical to the one posted above. I to was pulled in because it mentioned Jesus and the children of god. This woman should rot in hell. This is extortion and God or Heaven or Jesus should not be pulled into such a scam like this. Shame on her!
I was forwaded this email from someone. I work for a church here in the States and I was saddened. My first reponse was just like most, I was angry that someone would use the name of Christ to take advantage of people. My first reaction was to condemn them and to wish evil on them. But then I remembered that I am also a forgiven sinner. It does not excuse their actions, by no means. What these people are doing is wrong. I just wonder what is it that is driving them to try something like this. Is it greed? Is it hunger? Or are they just evil? I don't know, only God does. Maybe they see Americans love for money and they want to share in that excess. I don't know, but I do hope that these people realize the seriousness of their actions and of using the Lord's name in vain. I hope that they come to know Him in a personal way and that they repent for, not only what they are doing now, but for all their sins. I hope that they find as much comfort in the forgiving, loving arms of Jesus as I did. I also pray that if they are in desperate need that the Lord would provide for them.
I just received this email form the supposed Monica Tema on October 20, 2010. Crazy how she keeps trying right?!
From Mrs. Monica Tema ( For the family)
Address: # 1911 Hughes Avenue Cardiff ,
London United Kingdom
PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO USE IT FOR THE PURPOSE.
I am the above name person from United State of America USA. I am married to Dr
Ebenezer Tema who worked with Russia Embassy for Thirteen years before he died
in the year 2008. We were married for eleven years without a child. He died
after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Since his death, I decided
not to re-marry or get a child outside my matrimonial home.
When my late husband was alive he secured $ 4.5 Million (Four Million Five
Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) deposited in the bank here in London United
Kingdom Presently, this money is still with our participating bank. Recently, my
Doctor told me that from the entire test conducted on my health, I am not going
to last long, especially, due to my cancer and stroke. But what disturbs me most
now is stroke.known my condition, I decided to donate this fund to Charity
Organizations or individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to
instruct. I want a Charity Organizations or individual that will use this money
to fund Orphanages and Widows.
Blessed is the hand that gives. I took this decision because I don't have any
child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not responsible.
I don't want my husband's hard earned money to be misused,for their own selfish
interest and in an ungodly manner. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I
am going.
I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health and
because of the presence of my husband's relatives around me sometimes. I don't
want them to know about this development.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the financial
institution in United Kingdom London. I will also give you all information
regarding the deposit of this money. I will also issue you a letter of authority
that will empower you as the original beneficiary of this fund.
Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for a Charity
Organizations or individual for this same purpose. Please assure me that you
will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hope to hear from you soon.
Remain blessed in the name of the Lord.
Contact E-mail: mrs.1monica@hotmail.com
Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Monica Tema
Monica Tema? My emails are from a caroline tema.
Oh, by the way. The bible is not against a widow remarrying and having children with someone else. It actually says that if a man dies and leaves a widow then his brother shall take care of her as his own wife. The part of the failing health was accurate though, considering that caroline died years ago at the ripe age of 96.
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