Letter

[AdrianF]

I have just recieved a letter addressed to me waiting in my PO Box from Correos. Its a scam letter asking me to help a certain lawyer retrieve US$9,500,000,000.00 (this is not a typo its what is written in the letter) but then says NINE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS from a deceased estate.
Of course this deceased person as the same surname as me.

I know 100% of the people on this forum is smarter than the scammer I am just making people aware.

The letter is being sent to the AFP. Not sure if they are interested but sending it anyway.

Adrian

[Omaroo]

Go for it! There's nine and a half billion bucks he's already forgotten about!

[PCH]

Adrian,

frankly I'd just stick it in the bin, and wouldn't bother with the AFP. It'll just occupy your time, get you all wound up, and ultimately after months of waiting and the odd phone call or letter or two, they'll either just drop the case and not even tell you, or you'll get a phone call or letter to say that despite their best endeavours, they can't be arsed taking it any further, as it's intruding too much on their lunch breaks.

I honestly wouldn't imagine for a moment that they'll be interested in doing anything about it, more's the pity.

[AdrianF]

Well after posting i put the letter into the BBQ and burnt it. Couldnt be bothered taking it any further.

Adrian

[traveller]

that's a record, I have only won 15 million euros :shrug:
maybe we should have a "pool room" for such letters and see who has the highest amount? :lol:

[PCH]

I'm sure that was a wise move Adrian. Economical too, since the cost to dispose of the matter was minimal, next to nothing in fact. Far better than the tens of thousands of tax payer dollars it would have cost to have it entered into the AFP filing system, with the same net result.

You may rest soundly knowing you've done the right thing Adrian ;)

[Octane]

Should have taken it to 419eater.com and submitted it to the surplus letters section. Someone could have had a lot of fun with them!

H

[bmitchell82]

Think of the carbon cost to the earth to fire it... geeeZ :D hehehehe and the oxygen cost for those who sent it...

[ballaratdragons]

I get about 8 - 10 of these by email every day!

I must be a triple gazillionaire by now :lol:

I've never received one in the Snail Mail though.
But we don't have a mailbox either.
My home mailing address is c/o the post office.

Adrian, if someone was to truly leave you several million dollars their solicitor or representative would make a personal visit, not leave it up to the mail.

[Lee]

+1.... love that website.... hours of entertainment!

[jjjnettie]

They must get enough people biting to keep on sending those emails.

[barx1963]

Back in the 80s when I was in the bank, we would regularly have customers bring in snail mail 419 letters, only became more widespread with email.
I worked in Balwyn, which was fairly affluent, and the scammers would target areas like that 'cause they knew there are always a few people who are rich, dumb and greedy!

Malcolm

[troypiggo]

I got one in the mail too. Had countless by email, but this is the first time I've actually had a paper copy mailed to me!

[Stardrifter_WA]

I received an email today, purportedly from Coca Cola, saying that I have just won $5,000,000.00 (GBP). Obviously, or maybe not so obviously, I thought it was a scam and deleted it immediately without opening it. I never open anything unless I am reasonably sure where it came from, as scammers are getting cagey!

I thought to myself, who would be stupid enough to believe something like this? Then I thought about a recent news article saying that many thousands of Australians have been scammed to the tune of millions, so maybe it isn't obvious that is a scam to a lot of people. I really feel sorry for such misguided fools.

It is interesting that scammers are now using reputable company names in their scams. Oh well, their is the very old adage (England 1294) "A foole and his money is soon parted".

I am getting a lot more "junk" email in the past couple of weeks. Even though I have the best in antivirus software, it is becoming more frequent. Maybe it is time to change my email address again?

[brian nordstrom]

:rofl: Whew ! I only burnt my inheritance , twice ,, 1 of 1million US dollars ,, :question: or was it 1 million pounds sterling :question:, cause I got 2 letters and this lawyer in London forgot what demonation he said in the first letter said :rofl:.. ( Brains of a fly ?) Yep mine both went on the BBQ . :thumbsup:.
Brian.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Hey Brian,


I just hope someone isn't really trying to give me money!!!!! Oh well, if they are being so generous they would know my address anyway and just send me the bank cheque! :D :lol:

[brian nordstrom]

;) ha ha ha yes you really gotta think , that some poor people do get suckered by these scams every day :shrug: .
Mate I would hope a streached Limo would pull up at work with 12 Playboy bunnies , pick me up and take me to East Arm wharf ( thats where all the flash cruise liners go up here ) where the Super yatch was waiti........! ggggg..
:confused2:,, Damn , I just woke up ..:rofl:,
yea Peter a letter or E/mail just does not cut it aye mate ?
:thumbsup:
Brian.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Hey Brian, Would you know what to do with 12 playboy bunnies? :lol: Honestly, I wouldn't, but I would sure like to find out! :rofl:

[Stardrifter_WA]

Have to be honest Brian, playboy bunnies, stretch limos, etc wouldn't be the first thing I think about! Hmmm, now where is that order form for my 50" Cassegrain! :D

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: Peter we would sail down past Perth :thumbsup:, pick you up and then onwards to the US of A for a real holiday ???
:question: sounds good to me .. You gotta DREAM mate .
Brian.

[brian nordstrom]

:hi: Peter your new 55 inch Cas would be waiting at home in its full , autimatic , sytematic , hydromatic , computerised observatory beside the helipad , 300km from the nearest light .. :question:. waiting for you when we get home from the US of A , aye mate?
My observatory would be wiating for me as well :help:.
Brian.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Only 300km away from light? Much more than that mate, for sure, and instead of a helicopter it would be a business jet on my private runway! :lol: One can dream!

[jenchris]

George Bush was told two Brazilian soldiers died in Afghanistan - he replied "I didn't know that we had that many over there..um how many is a Brazilian?"

If any of my relatives died, they'd only leave me a bill.

[Ric]

Your shout Ken :cheers:

:D

[ReaPerMan]

The sad part is that some people do get taken in.
One lady here at work responded to the email and was completely taken in. As she was near to retirement she had some funds available and it didn't take the scammer long to find out. She was so convinced that everything was kosher that she sold her house for less than what it was worth to raise funds. (didn't matter she was getting millions.) Sold off other assets because the lawyer needed more money to clear legal objections (didn't matter she was getting millions.)
Ran up all lines of credit to the full (didn't matter she was getting millions.)
She shed a tear when the poor povety striken lawyer used his own money to pay fees and charges that she should pay. Put down a deposit for a new retirement villla better than the house she had just sold and even went as far to get one for a friend (didn't matter she was getting millions.)
went to the bank to try and borrow more money for that last few things that were holding up her getting the millions. At this point things screech to a halt when the bank tells her that it's all a fraud!!! BUT she doesn't believe them! this just can't be possible! the Lawyer is her friend.... he wouldn't lie! She sends him her last few grand. Friends, coworkers try in vain to tell her to stop but she cannot accept that it is not real because she's in too deep and her ailing husband has not been told that everything has gone.

Unfortunately there was no way back.. everything was gone and a very nice lady has been destroyed, her retirement, her life her family and her husband are all gone. I miss her at work she was vey nice person and not someone that this should have happened to.

I saw a doco on the internet about these scammers and they laugh about the rich westerners who fall for their scams and think that it does not matter as we can all afford to loose our money. they don't think about the devestation that they can cause to someone like my friend from work.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Yes Paul, it is a shame. We hear, too often, these stories; and the surprising thing, for me at least, is that these people are warned that they are scams, but can only see the dollar signs, it seems, and continue despite the clear warnings. How can so many people get caught up in these scams; and they are often reasonably intelligent people! Mind boggling, to say the least.

As for lawyers acting in your best interests, well.........? Maybe I am just too damn cynical, which is probably just as well! :)

[ReaPerMan]

Some people are very vulnerable to being taken in by the psychology behind these scams. It's a bit like being colour blind. They just can't see it until it's too late.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Agreed, but it is still mind boggling. I am just glad I am a sceptical as hell! :)

[Octane]

Look up and read an article titled The Perfect Mark, on the New Yorker site.

H

[Stardrifter_WA]

Interesting article.

It just fascinates me that reasonably intelligent people can be so easily conned. I occasionally get "junk" emails (too frequently lately) but I never open them, even though my natural curiosity wants to just take a look, but I am very aware that I could infect my computer with a worm, so I resist.

I can, sort of, understand the psychology as to why people get caught up in such scams and am very thankful that I have a healthy dose scepticism (or is that cynicism?), despite having an innate curiosity. :)

[AdrianF]

If nothing they are persistent. I got another letter in the mail today from the same lawyer, same wording, same rich person with the same surname.

This time I might join the scam buster website and see what they can do with it.

Adrian

[JethroB76]

My missus knew of a family of, to be fair, fairly dimwitted people, who received a letter similar to those described here (at the time I too was surprised it came by snail mail..). These people hadn't actually got around to doing too much before they had their dreams shattered, however they were already arguing amongst themselves as to who was getting how much and what would they would spend it all on..

[AdrianF]

Except for a new car build my house and an observatory with all the latest gadgets I don't have anything to spend on.

Adrian