Nigerian Scams via Private Messages

[AngelAmidala]

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the term...or if not the term...the messages at least.

Below is a link to a website that gives several examples of Nigerian Scams:

http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Business/nigerian.htm

The Christian Forums staff is aware that many times people will join the board for the only purpose of being able to mass Private Message (PM) members here with these scams. From time to time we've asked that any time a member gets a PM like this (or any other spam scheme PM) to contact a staff member. We continue to ask for this help.

This announcement is to let every member know that anyone sending a Nigerian Scam will be immediately banned from Christian Forums.

The following are additional links to sites dealing with Nigerian Scams:

Secret Service's website: http://www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml

Federal Trade Commission's website: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/nigeralrt.htm

Snopes, a well-respected site when it comes to the issue of frauds, scams, etc.: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/nigeria.htm

For additional pages on the issue, feel free to search using Google.

 

[Erwin]

The scammers are becoming quite smart and targetting Christians and their churches.

The latest PMs being sent to members:

Prayers,

My name is Mrs. Mary Alan I am a dying woman who have decided to donate what I have to you/ church. I am 66 years old and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 3 years ago, immediately after the death of my husband, who has left me everything he worked for.

I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband to you for the good work of God, rather than allow my relatives to use my husband hard earned funds ungodly. Please pray, that the good Lord forgive me my sins. I have asked God to forgive me and I believe he has because He is a merciful God. I will be going in for an operation in less than one hour.

I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $1,200,000 (One million Two hundred thousand dollars) to you for the good work of the lord, and also to help the motherless and less privilege and also for the assistance of the widows.

At the moment I cannot take any telephone calls right now due to the fact that my relatives are around my health status and me. I have adjusted my WILL and my lawyer is aware I have changed my will you and he will arrange the transfer of the funds from my account to you. I wish you all the best and may the good Lord bless you abundantly, and please use the funds well and always extend the good work to others.

Contact my lawyer with this specified email [email removed] and tell him that I have WILLED ($1,200,000.00) to you by quoting my personal reference number David Jones and associates DJ/MA/WILL/0925141312 and I have also notified him that I am WILLING that amount to you for a specific and good work. I know I don’t know you but I have been directed to do this. Thanks and God bless.

NB: I will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished, as I don't want anything that will jeopardize my last wish. And Also I will be contacting with you by email, as I don't want my relation or anybody to know because they are always around me.

Regards,
Mary Alan

This is a SCAM. It is a well-known scam where they will want you to start paying fees to accommodate the transfer of funds - hundreds if not thousands have been cheated, totalling millions of dollars. Do NOT fall for such PMs - report them to staff IMMEDIATELY.

If it sounds too good to be true, it is.