Is this a scam?

Boxman · #1 01.10.2009, 09:32

This urgent message arriving in my inbox this morning.

	Quote:	Mrs Maria Johnson
	GOD IS THE ULTIMATE GIVER! Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I am Mrs.Maria Johnson A widow to the Late Sheik Mohamed Johnson, I am 73 years old,I am now a new Christian convert,suffering from long time cancer of the breast. From all indications my condition is really deteriorating and it's quite obvious that I won't live long according to my doctors. This is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage. My late husband was killed during the U.S raid against terrorism in Afghanistan when he traveled to Afghanistan to monitor an Hospital/a Humanitarian Foundation (HHF) he was setting up for the benefit of the Afghan masses as of then, whose majority,and 99 percent of them are Muslims/ Islamic scholars and loyalists. During the period of our marriage we couldn't produce any child.. My late husband was very wealthy and after his death , I inherited all his businesses and wealth, and when i noticed that my condition is not improving rather it gets worsen by the day i decided to divide part of this wealth, to contribute to Charity and the development of the churches in Africa, America, Asia and Europe. I selected you after visiting the internet and I prayed over it. I am willing to donate the fund to you for charity,the less privileged,churches,orphanages and widows, Propagating the word of God and to ensure that the house of God is maintained.I took this decision upon myself because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't want my husband's hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. because I have come to find out that wealth acquisition without Christ is vanity upon vanity. Please I want you to note that, this fund is deposited with a Security Firm in London England. and upon my instruction, you will file in an application for the transfer of the fund in your name which i registered as a gold bar with the security company Lastly, I honestly pray that this money when transferred will be used for the said purpose. May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and your family. Await Your Urgent Reply,any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for a church, another person or Christian individual for this same purpose. Please reply me through this email address:<available on request> Yours in Christ. Maria Johnson

Having sinned and being somewhat of a non-believer, will I go to hell if I take this dying lady up on her offer?

Patxi · #2 01.10.2009, 09:44

It's not a scam but I am a little bit surprised that she contacted you as well. I thought that I was the sole benefactor in this case

. In any case, she must have come upon some more money or something.

I have already wired 50,000 CHF to her account (some kind of banking formality?) and I am awaiting the transfer of a few million to my account. Don't tell anyone, but I am going to take a small cut of this prior to forwarding it on to the charities

.

ullainga · #3 01.10.2009, 09:50

you mean those letters are not real? and all the gorgeous young models who instatnyl fall in love over internet in middle age balding men, but who are really poor and need some money, they are not real either?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...t-MySpace.html

GoldK · #4 01.10.2009, 09:55

A scam - perish the thought! You are obviously (another) one of the chosen people. Don't forget to provide all your banking details to Mrs J, and while you are at it why not include passwords and pin numbers so that things could be speeded up a bit

.

The_Love_Doctor · #5 01.10.2009, 10:03

if you guys want my 'authoritative' and 'professional' verfication for all these claims, I now provide a service for a small cost, you can wire it to me via western union

sometimes I think i should have been born in Nigeria

Angela-74 · #6 01.10.2009, 10:25

I smell Nigerian mafia all over that email!

weejeem · #7 01.10.2009, 10:35

Don't be fooled by it - it's Reader's Digest's new marketing strategy

.

BasP72 · #8 01.10.2009, 10:45

I also got this mail

I asked for an initial $10000 cheque to cover for my administrative costs (opening bank account, contacting lawyer) but haven't received anything yet. But I am running to the mailbox hopeful every day !

Richdog · #9 01.10.2009, 11:11

You guys don't honestly reply to some of these emails... do you?

Angela-74 · #10 01.10.2009, 11:12

	Quote:	Richdog
	You guys don^t honestly reply to some of these emails... do you?

I think it could even be dangerous right? WIth identity theft and everything...

Peg A · #11 01.10.2009, 11:13

	Quote:	Richdog
	You guys don^t honestly reply to some of these emails... do you?

**hugs Richdog**

Unless my fun / sarcasm meter is broken, indeed, they do not.

Peg A · #12 01.10.2009, 11:15

	Quote:	Angela-74
	I think it could even be dangerous right? WIth identity theft and everything...

Actually, yes.

Some scam mail not only is looking for folks who are trusting enough to give them information / money they want directly, sometimes they lead you to a "website" to infest your computer with viruses so they can steal yet more information.

Angela-74 · #13 01.10.2009, 11:16

	Quote:	Peg A
	hugs Richdog Unless my fun / sarcasm meter is broken, indeed, they do not.

I'm so naive

. Seriously I know someone who did, playing a smart@ss and well, he did get into trouble...long stoy but the guy was just an idiot.

weejeem · #14 01.10.2009, 11:18

	Quote:	Richdog
	You guys don't honestly reply to some of these emails... do you?

Well, I ain't gonna miss out on my gold bar... it means I'll be able to help
them when they're abroad and have their wallet/purse/passport/etc all
stolen, and I need to wire money urgently to them

.

Mud · #15 01.10.2009, 11:29

Click the photo to a lovely site dedicated to scamming the scammers. Hilarious.

evilshell · #16 01.10.2009, 11:36

	Quote:	Mud
	Click the photo to a lovely site dedicated to scamming the scammers. Hilarious.

And then there's this classic:

How does this work?

Colonelboris · #17 01.10.2009, 11:41

Beaten to it - I was just going to post the 419eater link...

Richdog · #18 01.10.2009, 12:24

	Quote:	Peg A
	hugs Richdog Unless my fun / sarcasm meter is broken, indeed, they do not.

My gran used to politely reply to scammers every time telling them thanks for the offer but she was not interested. I imagine she's not the only person in the world who does.

Yokine · #19 08.10.2009, 14:29

I think this email I received today might be legit

"Kindly respond ASAP -

I am Wong Chin, i work in a bank in HongKong. I want to consumate a
legitimate transaction of Thirty-Eight
million Five Hundred and Ninety One Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Five
United State Dollars.
Please email me on ChinWong90@yahoo.com.hk for final update.
Regards
Wong Chin."

Angela-74 · #20 08.10.2009, 14:52

	Quote:	Yokine
	Thirty-Eight million Five Hundred and Ninety One Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Five United State Dollars.

I think the specificity of that sum makes it sound a looooot more real