Nice Try, 419 Scammer!

For those of you who are unaware, 'Advance Fee Fraud' (or 419 scam) is the type of email you have most likely received at one time or another, either from someone claiming to have vasts amount of cash and needs help to help get it out of a country (usually an African nation), or, a lottery win (that you have no knowledge of partaking).

The number "419" refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code (part of Chapter 38: "Obtaining Property by false pretences; Cheating") dealing with fraud.

Scam baiting is the practice of pretending to be taken in by these fraudsters with the purpose of wasting their time, or to obtain evidential information which will hopefully lead to their downfall or even arrest.

I am a scam baiter.

So, last week, I received the usual crap from some moron looking for some poor sod to scam - Here's the email:

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Dear Friend,

Thanks for your response to my mail. I am delighted at your response to my enquiry which made me to disclosing this information to you, be rest assured as it come with best of intentions and I will appreciate you show more commitment on this partnership,

During the course of my job as General manager & Procurement director with GLOBE IMPORTS UK LTD , I with the chief accounting officer made an over inflated procurement cost which estimate to the total of US$8,200,000.00 in $100 dollar bills. This fund was kept in a Locker deposited with United Nations Vault Office as Personal Effects. Our intension was on our retirement we should invest in purchase of Precious stones, diamonds and Gold or any lucrative business we might choose. However to protect our job and avoid any problem from our company and Government we registered that the (Fund) locker belongs to our foreign business partner and that when required it should be delivered overseas.

Unfortunately on 17Th January 2008 my colleague died in motor accident and I was left alone with the information of the money. I have approached the vault office to collect the locker but I couldn’t because of the terms we signed; it must be delivered to our foreign partner overseas. Hence I contacted you to be my foreign partner and receive the locker on my behalf from theUnited Nation diplomat or diplomatic courier whom I have earlier discuss with.

I will give you 30% of the total amount for this assistance and open a joint business where you will actively run the procurement business for me and the profits shared 80% for me, 15% for you while 5% is kept for operational cost.

Kindly provide the information below to enable me put up a fund Management agreement between us. I will also put up application for release of the locker to you.

• Complete Name & Address
• Occupation/ Position
• Age
• Country of Origin
• Contact Telephone No

I will expect your suggestions and opinion upon receipt of your positive response so that we can discuss on how we should proceed on the arrangement without delay. I am convinced with your personality as my instinct has allayed any fear of negativity or betrayal from your side.

I wait your urgent response.

Best Regards

Engr.Bruce Smith

+447024044670
16S-177 St John Street,
ECIV 5PV London.

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Well, to cut a long story short, I had a few email exchanges with this idiot and tracked his IP address which confirmed he was staying in Malaysia on a StreamyX line.

Since then, I've managed to successfully communicate with Microsoft and Google, who have both responded by disabling his Hotmail and Gmail accounts, I'm now in process of getting TMNet to track him down.

Conclusion: Don't mess with me when it comes to internet scamming, I WILL find and shut you down! You have been warned!

Sources:

Advance Fee Fraud
Scam Baiting