Will I take the bait?
Part 2:
As I mentioned in my previous post I was contacted by one the thousands the people across the Internet who send out email spam claiming you can become rich. The following was my first contact with Frederic who claimed to work for the offical bank of the Ivory Coast:
"My name is Mr. Frederic Nelson, a Banker with one of the leading banks here in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (West Africa). I am the personal accounts manager to Mr. Morrison Kaplan, who used to be a contractor with an oil servicing company based here in Cote d’Ivoire.
My client, his wife, and their three children were involved in the Kenya Airways crash on the coasts of Abidjan in January 2000. I decided to trace his last name over the internet, to see if I could locate any members of his family hence I contacted you.
Of particular interest is this large deposit with our bank here, where the deceased has an account valued at about $15,000,000 USD ($15 million US dollars).They have issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or the bank will declare the account unserviceable and thereby send the funds to the government treasury.
Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over last 5 years now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name, so that the proceeds of this account valued at can be paid to you and then you and I can share the money.
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under all legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. If you can handle this with me, reach me by sending the following informations:"
I decided to play along and send him some information that was fake but realistic enough that he wouldn't know any better. Frederic immediately emailed me back telling me how happy he was that we could work together and become rich. He then said, "I have successfully legalized the account files and other related documents in your name as the legal beneficiary of the account. Now you have the legal right to claim the money.
All you have to do is to simply copy the text of application below and send it to the bank at the e-mail given on it.
APPLICATION FOR FUND RELEASE
From: Ben Kaplan
XXX Silverwood Dr
Atlanta, GA 80525
Telephone: 1-404-748-XXXX
Nationality: American
To: Attn: Mrs. Pauline Nguessan
(Foreign Operations)
Banque International de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (BIAO-CIV)
8-10 Joseph Anoma Avenue, 01 BP 1274 Abidjan 01.
Cote d'Ivoire. Office Phone/Fax 225 22492375
Email: info@biaociv.com
APPLICATION FOR THE RELEASE OF FIFTEEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$15,000,000.00) BELONGING TO LATE MR. MORRISON KAPLAN.
I hereby apply for the release of the sum of US$15,000,000.00 belonging to my late uncle (Morrison Kaplan) who died together with his wife and three children in January 2000.
My uncle before his death, was a customer with your bank and kept this deposit in his account with your bank and ever since his death, the family had been making frantic efforts to trace and repatriate most of his assets. Please accept this late application.
Below is the account informations:
Account number: 001114271429
Account code: BG716D
Vault pin: 1154003
I wish as his heir apparent with all informations of proof, to claim and instruct that the above mentioned amount be transferred into my nominated account as will be supplied later. I shall be grateful if this matter will be given an urgent attention.
Thanks for your anticipated co-operation
Sincerely,
Ben Kaplan"
I sent this information to the email listed and I got a response back within 1 day telling me that I needed some special forms and affidavits that proved who I was and that was in fact related to the deceased Mr.Kaplan. Frederic also emailed me and told me I could either get a "affidavit of claim and judicial authorization" which would costs $35,000 and would require me to come to the Ivory Coast in person or I could hire a lawyer who would represent me. The latter cost only $6,000 and Frederic could arrange for me to have the best lawyer in the country. Frederic said the lawyers would know how to cut through the red tape and get us the money as quickly as possible. He then said he needed my decision within 2 days or we risked losing the money. Stay Tuned!
Comments
Dude, you're gonna be rich!
Please buy me a Segway.
Posted by: Rob | July 18, 2007 5:48 PM