What happens when you reply to a Nigerian scam e-mail
See it all, and there are click ons…hilarious!
I have just received some good news in my inbox. Here is how it starts:
Greetings to you. With due respect, I am Mr. Lukas Ociuo (esq), the legal director here at the Ministry of Works Abidjan Ivory Coast.
Mr Ociuo is a very assiduous man. He wishes to send to me the money due to a deceased contractor, who shares my surname and might therefore be related (building contractors called Finkelstein abound in the Ivory Coast I understand). And all I have to do is reply to his email.
It’s as easy as that! Perhaps I should get Fraser Nelson in on the deal. He can use the proceeds to cut taxes.
Anyway, I was idly wondering what would happen if I replied and I came across this fabulous, laugh out loud funny, exchange that took place when Will Sturgeon of silicon.com replied to a Nigerian email scammer.
Will began with this masterful reply:
Dear Madu Frank,
Thank you very much for contacting me with this wonderful offer, it sounds almost too good to be true. It’s amazing, only this morning I was saying how I could do with having a bit more money - I must be a very lucky man.
Of course I would be interested in helping, but would also be very interested to hear who recommended me, as you say you have been told that I am a “reliable” and “trustworthy” person. I assure you I am, but would like to know who I have to thank for this wonderful opportunity.
Just to clarify, you say I stand to get 30 per cent of the total money transferred - this is 6.75m, right? Wow!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Now read on.
(There is more.)