Well, I think this might be useful for list members. Below you will find the UK National Criminal Intelligence Service warning about such emails & letters and an example of a Nigerian fraud letter fowarded by a friend. I hope this helps. WEN Wanja Eric Naef Webmaster & Principal Researcher IWS - The Information Warfare Site http://www.iwar.org.uk UNIRAS Advanced Fee Fraud warning http://www.uniras.gov.uk/l1/l2/l3/brief2001/UNIRAS%20Briefing%20-%2021201%20 -%20Advanced%20Fee%20Fraud.txt From: UNIRAS (UK Govt CERT) Sent: 08 November 2001 14:13 Subject: UNIRAS Briefing - 212/01 - Advanced Fee Fraud -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- UNIRAS (UK Govt CERT) Briefing Notice - 212/01 dated 08.11.01 Time: 13:52 UNIRAS Briefings are also available from our website at www.uniras.gov.uk - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Title ===== Advanced Fee Fraud UNIRAS Comment ============== UNIRAS is receiving increasing numbers of reports concerning 'advanced fee fraud'. The following advice has been drafted with the assistance of the National Criminal Intelligence Service(NCIS). Detail ====== The NCIS West African Organised Crime Section handles intelligence related to West African organised criminality. Strategic intelligence has identified that West African organised crime groups have a significant impact on the economy of industrialised countries all over the world. The main activities of these groups are fraud against individuals and companies and drug trafficking. Fraud committed by West African crime groups is estimated to cost the UK at least ?3.5 billion a year. The most common type of fraud is 'advance fee'. This is known as 4-1-9 fraud after the penal code in Nigeria that makes it illegal. 'Black money' fraud also has a high profile. These groups also carry out highly organised housing, social security and other grant frauds. The profits of these crimes are often used to finance drug trafficking, where the same middlemen transport drugs from source to consumer countries. '419' Letters are distributed by post, fax and email. In a typical '419' (advanced fee fraud) letter, the author purports to be a senior government or central bank official who has managed to over inflate a contract, generating a personal profit. In return for help smuggling money out of the country, the recipient is offered a percentage, usually between 10% and 30%. At first no money is requested but once a victim has been drawn in, requests are made for legal and administrative costs. Victims have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds in some cases. DO NOT REPLY TO THESE LETTERS NCIS has hundreds of examples of people being duped out of thousands of pounds. Companies who have sent polite letters of refusal have their letterheads abused. If you do receive a 419 letter, fax, or e-mail please report it to your local police station who should forward it to their local fraud squad. The National Criminal Intelligence Service, West African Organised Crime Section however wish to hear from any individuals who have actually lost money as the result of these scams. All enquiries will be treated confidentially. Please contact them directly by phone on 020 7238 8012. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- For additional information or assistance, please contact the UNIRAS HELP Desk by telephone or Not Protectively Marked information may be sent via EMail to: uniras@private Tel: 020 7821 1330 Ext 4511 Fax: 020 7821 1686 UNIRAS material is also available from our website at www.uniras.gov.uk - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- UNIRAS wishes to acknowledge the contribution of NCIS for the information contained in this briefing. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- UNIRAS shall also accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions contained within this briefing notice. In particular, UNIRAS shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever, arising from or in connection with the usage of information contained within this notice. UNIRAS is a member of the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) and has contacts with other international Incident Response Teams (IRTs) in order to foster cooperation and coordination in incident prevention, to prompt rapid reaction to incidents, and to promote information sharing amongst its members and the community at large. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- <End of UNIRAS Briefing> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPfreeware 7.0.3 for non-commercial use <http://www.pgp.com> iQCVAwUBO+qStYpao72zK539AQFUTQP+KY6+qTr3YTHzWXhxhvGaMf25tJzD6Mbv pMbNhSlSImPdCiuKX/CZ1cO+tYUU243aImFuMUn+ZgjacHk1coKnFlI9n9EubUSG xM6uS2ngNTQJn/j3VuCBYRf6R0Q/ze9+pj8vp2S6qxh1hsS9oWAe/pjUcw8B7BET 5xJhOp045JQ= =k1DV -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -----Original Message----- From: XXXX XXXXX Sent: 15 November 2001 20:22 To: Subject: Bank Fraud (Was sent to me as "Fwd: Co-operation and assistance") Wanja - Some time back, you sent out an e-mail on your list warning about Nigerian (and other) bank and wire fraud approaches. Some time back, I received this in an e-mail. I thought that you might like to forward it out to your subscribers as an actual example of what such a fraud letter looks like. -----Original Message----- From: Dr.Henry.Achebe@private [mailto:Dr.Henry.Achebe@private] Sent: 24 October 2001 03:28 To: XXXXX XXXXXXXX Subject: Co-operation and assistance On Wed, 22 Aug 2001 17:12:10 henry achebe wrote: >Dear Sir, > >I am Dr.Henry Achebe, Bank Director, of Orient >Bank of Nigeria, Lagos Branch. I have urgent and very >confidential business proposition for you. > >On June 6, 1997, an American Oil consultant/contractor >with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. >Barry Kelly made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for >twelve calendar months, valued at US$25,000,000.00 >(Twenty- five 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 Nigerian National Petroleum >Corporation that Mr. Barry Kelly 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. Barry Kelly did not declare any kin or >relations in all his official documents, including his >Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank. This sum of >US$25,000,000.00 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 Nigerian Law, at >the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will >revert to the ownership of the Nigerian Government if >nobody applies to claim the fund. > >Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as >an American to stand in as the next of kin to Mr. >Barry Kelly 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 you to provide >immediately your full names and address so that the >Attorney will prepare the necessary documents and >affidavits which will put you in place as the next of >kin. We shall employ the service of two Attorneys 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 which 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 60% for me and 40% 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 below. Upon your response, I >shall then provide you with more details and relevant >documents that will help you understand the >transaction. > >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: >achebehenry@private > >Thanks and regards. > >Dr.Henry Achebe >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sun May 26 2002 - 11:42:27 PDT