2009-08-16

Skype has gone mainstream

How do I know Skype is now a mainstream product that reaches beyond the early adopters? The 419 Scammers have arrived.

Today, I got this random instant message through Skype. And of course, if it's not obvious yet, whether this comes through email, snail mail, text message, or Skype instant message, THIS IS A SCAM

[8/15/2009 5:00:00 PM] barr Morris williams: MORRIS WILLIAMS
LAW CHAMMBER,
#124 Churchill Place, London , E18 7HP,
United Kingdom
Email:morris.williams.law@gmail.com
Tel:+447035974179


Good day,

I am Barr. Morris Williams, a solicitor at law, I am the personal attorney to Engineer Frank Shaikh a national of your country, who worked with Shevron Development Company here in London United Kingdom hereinafter referred to as my client. On the 21st of April 2007, my client, his wife and their children were involved in a plane crash while arriving from Easter Holiday to Soctland. All occupants unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my client's extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful.

I came across your name and contact on internet, while I was searching for Frank 's relations. Since my search was unsuccessful, I decided to contact you for this project. I am contacting you to assist in repatriating the money and properties left behind by my client before the Government and the Finance House where these funds were deposited confiscate or declare it unserviceable. Particularly, the finance house where the deceased deposited as family treasure, a consignment valued USD12 Million, earlie this year issued me a 12 months notice to provide the Next of Kin or have the fund consignment confiscated, and this ultimatum expires by next month.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over two years now, I seek your consent to present you as the Next of Kin so that the proceed of this deposit valued at USD12 Million can be released to you and then you and I can share the money, 40% for me 40% for you, and the remaining 20% will be
for expenses and tax. He made the money in one of his Pan Euro- African Oil Development deals he had with one of the Pan Euro- African Oil Development Marchant. I also have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this business through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.

As we proceed you will begin to realise that it is risk free.Only i have to instruct you on what and what to do at everytime.

Get in touch with me on my private e-mail address (morris.williams.law@gmail.com) so we can proceed.

Sincerely yours,
Barr. Morris Williams

5 comments:

MamaFlo said...

I get this same message a few times a year via email.

brokenteepee said...

This is my favorite line:

All I require is your honest co-operation


heh heh heh heh heh

katherine said...

i also received an email like this and i emailed him back and telling him that i am not interested with his millions. hahaha

Mhar's Display said...

I really hate receive SCAM emails like this. What I do is I report or forward the SCAM emails to the website.

Mharms

Cromely said...

@MamFlo: I still get them through email too. The amazing thing is that people still fall for them.

@Pricilla: Do you think they can even write these things without laughing?

@katherine: There are whole groups of people who make a hobby of scamming the scammers, or at least wasting their time.

@Mhar's Display:I rarely read them anymore.