Post by Yastreb on Apr 22, 2023 10:34:11 GMT
Ten days ago I received an email in Captain Mal's inbox that looked oddly familiar... the same script that led to a short but amusing bait (scambaitingforum.com/thread/369/greed-blind-risks).
The scammer's emails are date-stamped; his name has been changed. My comments are in bold.
12 April
ATTENTION.
MY NAME IS MR. DOUGLASS SMITH BY NAME, I AM A HUNTER HUNTING ANIMAL FROM BOGOSO VILLAGE IN EASTERN REGION NIGERIA IN WEST AFRICA.
I AM HUNTING IN FOREST 3 DAY AGO WHEN I SAW A SHOPPER LANDED ON THE GROUND IN CORNER OF THE FOREST I SAW A GROUP OF MEN COMING DOWN FROM IT SO I WENT INTO HIDING,
I SAW THEM CARRYING FOUR BOXES WHICH THEY CAME TO HIDE IN FOREST WHEN THEY LEFT. I TRACED IT THROUGH THE HELP OF THEIR FOOT STEPS OF THEIR SHOES.
WHEN I SAW THE BOXES YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS,NAME MOBILE NUMBER AND AMOUNT WORT IN $9 MILLION US DOLLARS 3 BOXES AND 9 MILLION EURO 1 BOX WAS TAG TO THE BODY OF THE BOXES .
THAT IS HOW I GOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
THE REASON WHY I AM WRITING YOU THIS EMAIL IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MONEY IN THE BOXES, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME,SHOULD I KEEP THIS MONEY IN MY HOUSE TO WAIT FOR YOUR INSTRUCTION
ON HOW TO SEND IT TO YOU OR TAKE IT TO THE POLICE HEAD QUARTERS IN ABUJA NIGERIA . THIS IS NOT THE FIRST THING I HAVE SEEN IN THE FOREST I HAVE FOUND SESMOGRAPHY CABLES, SACK OF GUNS, GOLD AND DIAMOND ETC I CONTACTED THE POLICE WHICH THEY PROMISE ME TO REWARD ME AT THE END NO NEWS FROM THEM THEY SHARE THE ITEMS AMONG THEMSELVES.
I MANAGE TO SEND YOU THIS MESSAGE THROUGH THE HELP OF MY DAUGHTER WHO IS IN THE COLLAGE BECAUSE I AM NOT EDUCATED ENOUGH MY PHONE NUMBER IS WRITTEN BELOW THIS MESSAGE.
I WILL WAIT FOR YOUR SWIFT REPLY AS THIS MESSAGE GET TO YOUR HAND IN GOOD CONDITION SO I CAN KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR MONEY INSIDE THE BOXES. RIGHT NOW I HAVE I PLACE AND KEPT THE BOX IN MY ROOM UNDER MY BED WHICH I DIG A PIT ON THE GROUND WHICH I BOUGHT A BAG OF CEMENT WITH CONCENTRATE STONES GRANITE STONE WHICH I USE ON TOP OF THE FLOOR AFTER I KEPT THE BOXS INSIDE.
PLEASE I DO NOT WANT YOU TO DISCLOSE THIS ISSUE WITH MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE I AM AFRAID BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO IS WHO. I AM FROM A GOOD CHRISTIAN HOME, BOXES TO HIM OR IF YOU CAN WORK WITH ME DIRECT THAT WILL BE OKAY WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU.
MY NAME IS MR. DOUGLASS SMITH BY NAME, I AM A HUNTER HUNTING ANIMAL FROM BOGOSO VILLAGE IN EASTERN REGION NIGERIA IN WEST AFRICA.
I AM HUNTING IN FOREST 3 DAY AGO WHEN I SAW A SHOPPER LANDED ON THE GROUND IN CORNER OF THE FOREST I SAW A GROUP OF MEN COMING DOWN FROM IT SO I WENT INTO HIDING,
I SAW THEM CARRYING FOUR BOXES WHICH THEY CAME TO HIDE IN FOREST WHEN THEY LEFT. I TRACED IT THROUGH THE HELP OF THEIR FOOT STEPS OF THEIR SHOES.
WHEN I SAW THE BOXES YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS,NAME MOBILE NUMBER AND AMOUNT WORT IN $9 MILLION US DOLLARS 3 BOXES AND 9 MILLION EURO 1 BOX WAS TAG TO THE BODY OF THE BOXES .
THAT IS HOW I GOT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
THE REASON WHY I AM WRITING YOU THIS EMAIL IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MONEY IN THE BOXES, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME,SHOULD I KEEP THIS MONEY IN MY HOUSE TO WAIT FOR YOUR INSTRUCTION
ON HOW TO SEND IT TO YOU OR TAKE IT TO THE POLICE HEAD QUARTERS IN ABUJA NIGERIA . THIS IS NOT THE FIRST THING I HAVE SEEN IN THE FOREST I HAVE FOUND SESMOGRAPHY CABLES, SACK OF GUNS, GOLD AND DIAMOND ETC I CONTACTED THE POLICE WHICH THEY PROMISE ME TO REWARD ME AT THE END NO NEWS FROM THEM THEY SHARE THE ITEMS AMONG THEMSELVES.
I MANAGE TO SEND YOU THIS MESSAGE THROUGH THE HELP OF MY DAUGHTER WHO IS IN THE COLLAGE BECAUSE I AM NOT EDUCATED ENOUGH MY PHONE NUMBER IS WRITTEN BELOW THIS MESSAGE.
I WILL WAIT FOR YOUR SWIFT REPLY AS THIS MESSAGE GET TO YOUR HAND IN GOOD CONDITION SO I CAN KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR MONEY INSIDE THE BOXES. RIGHT NOW I HAVE I PLACE AND KEPT THE BOX IN MY ROOM UNDER MY BED WHICH I DIG A PIT ON THE GROUND WHICH I BOUGHT A BAG OF CEMENT WITH CONCENTRATE STONES GRANITE STONE WHICH I USE ON TOP OF THE FLOOR AFTER I KEPT THE BOXS INSIDE.
PLEASE I DO NOT WANT YOU TO DISCLOSE THIS ISSUE WITH MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE I AM AFRAID BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHO IS WHO. I AM FROM A GOOD CHRISTIAN HOME, BOXES TO HIM OR IF YOU CAN WORK WITH ME DIRECT THAT WILL BE OKAY WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU.
YOURS SINCERELY, 12
MR DAVID SMITH
MR DAVID SMITH
He didn't include his phone number, you'll notice.
I replied the same way as I had to the previous scammer.
Mr Smith
Was that message some kind of prank?
Malcolm Reynolds
Was that message some kind of prank?
Malcolm Reynolds
12 April
Dear is this is not a joke or playing game with you I am very honest, do you have whatapp number for fast chat so that I show you what I have .
Mal confused WhatsApp with Wechat, just so you know.
Mr Smith
You say you're very honest, well that has yet to be proved. And no, I don't have Whatsapp, I don't trust anything owned by a Chinese company. By the way, you said that you'd included your number in the first email but it wasn't there.
Malcolm Reynolds
You say you're very honest, well that has yet to be proved. And no, I don't have Whatsapp, I don't trust anything owned by a Chinese company. By the way, you said that you'd included your number in the first email but it wasn't there.
Malcolm Reynolds
13 April
Here is my number you can call me direct call or whatapp +234REDACTED
His timing isn't convenient, as I'm about to travel interstate to visit friends. I'll have to stretch things out.
Mr Smith
Is there any real point in calling you?
Malcolm Reynolds
Is there any real point in calling you?
Malcolm Reynolds
15 April
Yes very necessary to talk to each other, I wish you are on whatapp I could show you the video of the funds for you to see to be sure sir
Three days later, I'm now in Adelaide.
Mr Smith
Why not just send me the video here?
Malcolm Reynolds
Why not just send me the video here?
Malcolm Reynolds
18 April
Dear sir, I have sent you the video of the funds please check your attachment file to see the video
He'd sent two MP4s. One of them featured two Arab-seeming gentlemen and two African men looking over four huge boxes of cash. In the other, a single African man is loading a smaller box with money.
Then he sends a message that makes no sense.
19 April
Good morning sir
You sent empty message no content body of your message empty
You sent empty message no content body of your message empty
Mr Smith
I didn't send a reply.
But now that you mention it, I'll ask this; who were those two Arabs?
Malcolm Reynolds
I didn't send a reply.
But now that you mention it, I'll ask this; who were those two Arabs?
Malcolm Reynolds
Now we know what I'll be expected to pay for!
20 April
That Arab man is the engineer who will work on the funds to make it clean and spendable
Mr Smith
There were two Arabs there. Are they both engineers? And that money looked pristine to me!
Malcolm Reynolds
There were two Arabs there. Are they both engineers? And that money looked pristine to me!
Malcolm Reynolds
20 April
2 of them are engineer the funds not pristine not as you think sir, if pristine I could started spending , among the boxes 1 has to be remove the UN stamp ink , just the engineer to do his job so that the funds are spendable , which require to buy cleansing solution from the company which require setting amount to do so
Mr Smith
Hold it right there Tex! What do you mean by a "UN stamp"? Take a picture and send it to me.
Malcolm Reynolds
Hold it right there Tex! What do you mean by a "UN stamp"? Take a picture and send it to me.
Malcolm Reynolds
21 April
Please let work on the funds sir , I will get back to you with good news I am in able to download the video of the stamp funds showing failure sir
Mr Smith
Forget about the gorram video! You can take still images. Take some notes and spread them out and take a picture of them. I want to see this UN stamp you're talking about.
Malcolm Reynolds
21 April
Forget about the gorram video! You can take still images. Take some notes and spread them out and take a picture of them. I want to see this UN stamp you're talking about.
Malcolm Reynolds
21 April
Please get whatapp for all details, I try to download not going showing failure of file.
You'll recall that the scammer said Mal's mobile number was on the boxes. Will he notice what Mal said about cell phones?
Mr Smith
No whatsapp! For one thing it's Chinese, and for another, I don't use cell phones. And are you seriously telling me you can't even take a gorram photograph?
Malcolm Reynolds
Damn, I was supposed to be stretching things out! Let's see what happens.
No whatsapp! For one thing it's Chinese, and for another, I don't use cell phones. And are you seriously telling me you can't even take a gorram photograph?
Malcolm Reynolds
Damn, I was supposed to be stretching things out! Let's see what happens.
x 4 (Lagos to Abuja, Nigeria to Ghana, Nigeria to Benin, Ghana to Benin) 
