Do you want free money?

[Achilles Tang]

Got this in my email... there are so many variants I lost count.

We are conducting a standard process investigation on behalf of Diamond Bank PLC. This investigation involves a client who shares the same surname with you and also the circumstances surrounding investments made by this client at Diamond Bank Republic, the Private Banking arm of Diamond Bank PLC. The Diamond Bank Private Banking client died intestate and nominated no successor in title over the investments made with the bank. The essence of this communication with you is to request you provide us information/comments on any or all of the four issues: 1) Are you aware of any relative/relation who shares your same name whose last known contact address was London-UK? 2) Are you aware of any investment of considerable value made by such a person at the Private Banking Division of Diamond Bank? 3) Born on the 29th October 1930 4) Can you establish beyond reasonable doubt your eligibility to assume status of successor in title to the deceased? It is pertinent that you inform us ASAP whether or not you are familiar with this personality that we may put an end to this communication with you and our inquiries surrounding this personality. You must appreciate that we are constrained from providing you with more detailed information at this point. Please respond to this mail as soon as possible to afford us the opportunity to close this investigation. Thank you for accommodating our enquiry. John Diya ****PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL***** This e-mail and any attached files are confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not the addressee, any disclosure, reproduction, copying, distribution, or other dissemination or use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error please notify the sender immediately and then delete this e-mail. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error free as information can be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept any errors or omissions in the contents of this message, which arise as a result of e-mail transmission

[Achilles Tang]

Another... last week I believe:

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Ahmed Abdalla director,Transparency international ,Kenya. I got your email address from the web directory so I decided to contact you.

We are interested in diverting some funds currently floating in the suspense account of the federal pay office to your account as soon as possible.

Source of the funds are:

During the Arap Moi's government, government’s officials awarded contracts to their own companies, these contracts were grossly overinvoiced. Now the present government set up contract review panel to settle those owed outstanding amount. My colleagues and I have identified a huge amount totaling US$ 370m (Three hundred and seventy million us dollars) oversea .

We would wantUS$43.8m (Forty three million Eight Hundred Thousand) dollars out this money oversea transferred to your account because we are not eligible to operate foreign account, and I have been mandated to search for a partner abroad. We really want this transfer made as soon as possible before the government, who have started refunding money from Moi's foreign accounts track this money.We will be offering 20% for your assistance.

If you would want to proceed with this transaction please reply with your name and phone number and if you do not accept my offer please treat with utmost confidentiality.

For more information check and browse carefully all the links in the website below. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3338023.stm

Best Regards,

Ahmed Abdalla,

Director Transparency International,

Kenya.

[bum]

AT.

gotta show them your avatar!!!

[Achilles Tang]

In Feb this year:

FROM THE DESK OF:

MR.LEE CHOW WONG,

CHEKIANG FIRST BANK LTD. (Hong Kong)

STUBBS ROAD BRANCH

CENTRAL HONG KONG.

I am Mr.Lee Chow Wong, Bank Manager, Chekiang First Bank

Ltd (Hong Kong),Stubbs branch, Central Hong Kong. I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.

On June 6, 1998, a British Oil consultant/contractor with

the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation, Mr. Smith Lawrence

made a numbered time (Fixed)Deposit for twelve calendar

months, valued at US$30,000,000.00 (Thirty

Million Dollars) in my branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his

forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent

a reminder and finally we discovered from his contract employers, the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation that Mr.Smith Lawrence died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that

Mr. Smith Lawrence did not declare any kin or relations in

all his official documents,including his Bank Deposit

paperwork in my Bank. This sum of US$30,000,000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of Hong Kong, at the expiration of 7(seven) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a Foreigner to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. Smith Lawrence so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple, I will like y! ou to provide immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you in place as the next of kin. We shall employ the services of an attorney for drafting and notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor for the transfer. A bank account in any part of the world that you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 90% for me and 10% for you.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction will be done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via the private email address above. Upon your response, I shall then provide you wi! th more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction. Please send me your confidential telephone and fax numbers for easy communication.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured

that this transaction would be most profitable for both of

us because I shall require your assistance to invest my

share in your country.

Awaiting your urgent reply via my email address.

Thanks and regards,

Mr. Lee Chow Wong.

<leewong1@fsmail.net>

[bwilly]

alot of african countries con men..

one infamous case my colleague almost kenna.. is from nigeria.

champion is ppl who invest tons of money was con again n again.

the same syndicate came back, n disguise as lawyers this time to fight

the case against the original conmen. for a % of the money invest.

those dudes really believe, kenna con X 2..

[Tanzy]

Reminds me of the guy with the apple on the head polaroid.

[bum]

they've come a long way since letter chain mails

remember those?

[bwilly]

haha.. those chain letter, can kelong..

remove others in the Q, n add yours next in line..

[jason]

I got one letter from spain about 1 year ago....it mention that I have won a lottery in their worldwide event.... the price is US$600,000. It was written that they have place the money in the care of an agency and need my account number so that they can arrange the transfer.....

Very tempting...... but the letter look too simple......... I just feel that a lottery company should not issue such a plain and simple, so I ignore it......

about 3 weeks later...... it came out in the papers numbers of Singaporeans are conned...... those who contacted the agency were told to pay the tax first before they do the transfer....... according to the papers some of these people lost more than $10K each....

so be careful

[hamannbmw]

Reminds me of the guy with the apple on the head polaroid.

.... saw the thread sometime back...

[Siput]

A more successful scam was conducted years ago where someone advertised that u can make spare monye from home by just simply addressing envelopes. Just send $10 or $20 for the starter kit. Apparently hundreds sent in their money. Why? Low barrier to entry, so people don't mind taking the risk.

[Siput]

Then there was this other Australian company that sold ###### toys and porno material on the web which appeared in the papers about 2 years back. Apparently their target market was Asia and many people purchased stuff from them. However, after collecting the payment, the company sends out an apology mail/letter saying that sorry, we cannot deliver the goods to your country as it is illegal (which is legally correct). Then they send the buyer a full refund by cheque (again to be fair the cheques were always honoured when presented). The catch? They cheques were embossed with the name of the retailer, which was something like "The ###### and fetish ###### company" or somesuch. Go figure how many people actually banked in their refunds!

When the article appeared in the papers, the Australian police were still trying to figure out if they could charge the company with anything or not...

[jc85]

This is what I got last week......

--------------------------------

-----Original Message-----

From: albertchidi2@postino.it [mailto:albertchidi2@postino.it]

Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 11:34 PM

To: albertchidi2@postino.it

Subject: I needed your urgent assistance

Dear Sir,

I am albert Kamara the only son of late former Director of

finance, Chief Vincent R. Kamara of Sierra-Leone diamond

and mining corporation. I must confess my agitation is

real, and my words are my bond in this proposal. My late

father diverted this fund acquired from the over

influencing of price of sales/purchasing of raw materials.,

now he has deposited the money with a BANK IN ABIDJAN BY

FIXED DEPOSIT FORM, where I am residing under political

asylum with my younger sister Juliet who is 17 years old.

Now the war in my country is over with the help of ECOMOG

soldiers, the present government of Sierra Leone has

revoked the passport of all officers who served under the

former regime and now ask countries to expel such person at

the same time, freeze their account and confiscate their

assets, it is on this note that I am contacting you, all I

needed from you is to furnish me with your bank

particulars:

1) Account name

2) Account number

3) Bank address, telephone and fax number to enable me

transfer this money in your private bank account, the said

amount is (Twenty seven Million Dollars) $27 Million.

I am compensating you with 20% of the total money amount,

now all my hope is banked on you and I really wants to

invest this money in your country, were their is stability

of Government, political and economic welfare. Honestly I

want you to believe that this transaction is real and never

a joke.

My late father Chief Kamara gave me the photocopies of the

certificate of deposit issued to him by the BANK IN ABIDJAN

on the date of deposit, and he called me closer to his bed

side before his call to glory (RIP) that I should pray to

god first, before contacting any foreigner and he warned me

strictly not to deal with a greedy and evil minded people

since this is the only legacy we are inheriting from him.

Please, for you to be clarified because, I do not expose

myself to anybody I see, I believe that you are able to

keep this transaction secret for me because this money is

the hope of my life, it is important. Please contact me

immediately after you must have gone through my message,

and feel free to make it urgent. That is the reason why I

offered you 20 % of the total amount, and in case of any

other necessary expenses you might insure during this

transaction including your telephone calls.

N.B: Try and negotiate for me some profitable blue chip

investment opportunities which is risk free that I can

invest with this money when it is transferred to your

account, and you will be our guardian, personally I am

interested in estate management and hotel business, please

advise me.

Contact me immediately you receive this message for more

explanation. And promise me and Juliet my younger sister to

be a father considering our situation and not to betray us.

Thanks and God bless

Best regards

ALBERT /JULIET KAMARA

NB: my late father used me the only son as the beneficiary

/ next of kin on the day of deposit and also told me I need

a foreign assistance of a foreigner with a legitimate bank

Account abroad who will stand as co-beneficiary and partner

abroad.

[jc85]

A simple search in google on the bank name already bring up many scams. Wonder who will fail into these traps.

[Siput]

A simple search in google on the bank name already bring up many scams. Wonder who will fail into these traps.

All sorts of greedy folk...people with more $$$ than brains!

[magern2]

Save yourselves the time and trouble, guys.

Delete any email you don't recognise. It's not going to be from a long lost friend or relative.

[Achilles Tang]

Another one today!!

GROUP LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL

FROM:THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

GROUP LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.

Ref. Number:7683408058/09

Batch Number:57/8703/3PD

Credited file Number:EGS56/50071245/25

ATTENTION.

Sir/Ma/Miss,

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 19TH MAY,2004.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 748--13465207--156 with serial number 8052-79drew lucky numbers 8-10-25-30-32-49 which consequently won in the 1th category.You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of 100,000.00(One hundred thousand EUROS) in cash credited to file .This is from a total cash prize of 900.000.00(Nine hundred thousand EUROS)shared among the Nine international winners in this category. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Due to mix up of some numbers and names we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money Remitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 50,000 company and 70,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.This promotional program takes place every three years,the lottery was promoted and sponsored by the President of the World Largest software,B. Gates.We hope with part of your winning you will take part in our next year EUROS 500 thousand international lottery.Your fund is now deposited with in a bank under a fixed deposit bond policy insured to you by our financial agent. To file for your claim please contact our financial agent,Foriegn operations manager,Mr.E.HAMILTON. Email:lotteryhouse20@netscape.net Tel:+31642594038. Remember all winning must be claimed not later than 10TH of JUNE 2004. After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your reference number and batch numbers in all correspondence.Furthermore,should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible. Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program. Sincerely yours, Lotto Co-ordinator. Mr.K.PAUL

[Achilles Tang]

I love this line best!

the lottery was promoted and sponsored by the President of the World Largest software,B. Gates.

[magern2]

Bill Gates ah, I think easier for PC to get infected by SASSER worm than to win the lottery, man.

I want to start a scam myself:

Send me $20 and I'll give advice on any relationship problems. I'll call the website: Singapore Love Guru. Mind you, I give sound advice.

hehe.

[strat]

This is what I got today:

"

Dear Friend.

Don’t have pity or feel sorry for me, as you read this mail because, I believe we will all die one day.

I am Rehan Tahera , a merchant in Dubai, in the U.A.E.I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer it has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only some few months to live, according to medical experts.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I was very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just to have a selfish desire toward money in this world.

If God gives me a second chance to come to this world I will live my life a different way from how I have lived it. (More peaceful and more dedicated to the will of God) Now that I am about to die, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends.

I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul. For this reason, I have decided to give alms to charity organizations as well as individuals, so that this will be one of the last good things I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the U.A.E, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which that was in it to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan; they did not but kept the money to themselves, for their selfish needs. This is why I do not trust them anymore, because they seem not to be contended or satisfy with what I have left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of Twenty-eight million, Nine hundred United States dollar US$28 9M that I kept in two Trunk boxes and deposited as personal belongings with a private finance/Security Company in Europe. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatched it to charity organizations. 10% of the total sum have been set aside to you for the time, patience and your acceptance to help.

Please send a reply through this email address reheratahera@spinfinder.com) with your full contact information for more private and confidential communication with my lawyer. Please note that you will not be able to reach me on phone except by emails because of my present situation. I may send to you the pictures from My Sick bed for Verification purposes, if you agree to take up this responsibility.

I await your immediate response

God be with you.

Rehan Tahera"

Anyone want to ask for his picture?

[Achilles Tang]

Today's spam:

FROM: THE DESK OF MANAGING DIRECTOR

ONCE SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY /PRIZE AWARD DEPT

HEAD OFFICE MADRID, SPAIN.

REF: EGS/2551256003/03

BATCH: 14/0017/IPD

ATTENTION : MR/MRS/MISS

RE: AWARD FINAL NOTIFICATION.

We are pleased to inform you of the released results of the ONCE SPANISH SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY/INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAMS held on the 24TH MAY, 2004. Your name was attached to a ticket number 228313088273 with serial number 107 drew the lucky numbers 3 8 2 1 9 which consequently won the lottery in the 1ST category. You have therefore been approved for lump sum pay out of 350.000,00 (THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND EUROS ONLY) in cash credited to file REF N: EGS/2551256003/03. This is from total cash prize of EUR5.6m (FIVE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND

EUROS) shared among the sixteen international winners in this category. CONGRATULATIONS! Your fund is now deposited to your reference and due to the mixed up of numbers and names, we ask you to keep this award top secret from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account as this is a part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants.. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 25,000 names from Europe, America, Australia, Asia, and North America as part of our international Easter promotions program, which we conduct once every year. We hope with a part of your prize, you will take part in our end of year high stake for EUR1.3 billion International Lottery. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our zone C {Amsterdam} european booklet representative office for payment. To begin your claim please contact our financial agent with information below for processing and remittance of your prize money to any designated account of your choice. MR JAMES D. MARTIN,the Payment and Logitics Manager of ATLANTIC SECURITY AND FINANCE B.V

Tel: +31-645-940-000

Email: atlansec@zwallet.com or Jamesdada@zwallet.com

Remember that all prize money must be claimed not later than 10th JUNE 2004.

After this date, all funds will be returned to the Ministry de Economic y Hacienda as unclaimed fund.

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference, batch and prize claim track numbers in every of your correspondence with us or your agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of tour address, do inform your claims agent as soon as possible.. Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for being a part of our promotions program. Sincerely,

MARION GONZALEZ PRIZE CLAIM TRACK

MANAGING DIRECTOR N 20432722008

www.once.es

[Marineman]

Here is another one another one and I REPLIED !

Dear_Sir.doc

[Achilles Tang]

Dear Mr Brandt,

I do not know how you got my e-mail address.

You are right, you do not know me, but I can tell you for sure that you cannot trust me as I am very good cheating other people's money. Because of that I have no friends and no one trust me anymore. I am desperate, very lonely with no money, since you are willing to share 20% of your money for someone who can help you, can I suggest you should only pay 10% which is more than enough and share the balance with me on a 50:50 basis since I give you this suggestion?

Looking forward to hearing the good news.

All the best.

$imon $aw

Good one!

[Marineman]

Another one which I replied.....

From: Laurent Mabinga

Tel: 27 83 7489468

Fax: 27 11 5076139

Dear Sir,

I am a stepson of late President Lauren Kabila of (Zaire) Democratic Republic of

Congo (my mother was the 3rd wife to the late president who was killed by his

bodyguard in January 2001). Since my stepbrother Pres. Joseph Kabila seized

power as President of our country after our father's tragic death, things

changed for my immediate family. Joseph Kabila does not treat us as his family,

he saw my younger sister and me as a big threat, so my mother decided that we

move out of the Congo and look for better life. Please our little family needs

your help in transferring the sum of US$330 Million (Three Hundred and Thirty

Million, United States Dollars) out of South Africa into your overseas account

for the purpose of investments, Import and export trade, Stock/Share

acquisition, Hotel ownership, Real estate development that will sustain and

secure our future.

I will give you some background information and explanations on how you can help

us in transferring this said sum. This money was part of the money given to my

mother by her late husband Lauren Kabila. The late President of Zaire (Congo

D.R.C) wanted buy properties in different parts of the world using my mother's

identity, for this he sent my mother to South Africa to negotiate with some

business executives who acted as his investment advisers, who were meant to fly

down to South Africa. Unfortunately, Lauren Kabila died when my mother was on

her way to South Africa for the business meeting. On hearing this tragic news

the money that was concealed as diplomatic antiques for easy carriage into South

Africa, was supposed to be handed over to these business executives but instead

my mother decided to secure it and deposit it with a reputable Security Company

here in South Africa. As utmost confidentiality is needed, my mother did not

disclose the original content of the box to the security company as cash, on that

day of the initial deposit, she declared it as Diplomatic Archival Antiques in other

to maintain secrecy and safety. We need your assistance in transferring this money

to your overseas company account for investments.

The present government under Joseph Kabila has reclaimed most of the properties

in Kinshasa and in other places that the late president registered on my

mother's name. This is the reason why I am asking for utmost confidentiality of

this transaction from you. What I need you to do for me is to help me transfer

this money out of South Africa in your company's name. My mom and I have agreed

to compensate you passionately for your assistance with 15% of the whole sum

when the fund is transferred into your company's account.

You will be our sole foreign partner in this transaction to transfer the money

out of South Africa if you are willing and interested. I am assuring you that

this transaction will be concluded as soon as possible and I will be visiting

your country for the sharing of the money and other investment plans. I am

hoping on your assistance to help my immediate family in this regard.

Please respond to this message by calling me on my private phone No 27 83

7489468 or Fax: 27-11 5076139.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Laurent Zebediya Mabinga

Subject: FW: Business Relationship. cmrpt

Thank you for your letter.

I am sad to hear that as I am also in the same position as you except that my money is

tied up in Switzerland with the late president Marcos. With interest running, the funds

(all cash) including interest comes to about US 1 billion. As my own money is controlled

by my wife(very fierce woman) who is not aware of this arrangement, I need some nmoney to

arrange for a visa and a trip to Switzerland to take out the cash. I am not very educated

and come from a poor family, if you help me I can help you.

I appreciate if you can transfer $2,000 to my bank account with HongKong Bank, at 15,

Ampang Road,account no. 3-17763-12457 for Ma Ko Lee (Chinese name for Lee Marcos).

If you can help me I can hlep you since my money is bigger.

Thanks

Ma Koh Lee

[weileong]

that is a good one Marineman....