| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Strange email out of Nigeria (supposedly from translation agency director stranded in Nigeria) Thread poster: Angela B
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Mervyn Henderson (X) 
Spain
Local time: 14:59
Spanish to English
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| I wasn't going to mention this, but since we're on the subject ... | Feb 19, 2009 |
... please help. I have been kidnapped by a group of masked men calling themselves the Streatham Seven. When I pointed out there were only three of them they pistol-whipped me, said there had been internal differences. Despite my desperate suggestion of a name change to the Thornton Heath Three, it being relatively close by on the map, they are still demanding one million USD for my release.
This is really Mervyn, not his brother or sister. Help, for the love of God, help.
... See more ... please help. I have been kidnapped by a group of masked men calling themselves the Streatham Seven. When I pointed out there were only three of them they pistol-whipped me, said there had been internal differences. Despite my desperate suggestion of a name change to the Thornton Heath Three, it being relatively close by on the map, they are still demanding one million USD for my release.
This is really Mervyn, not his brother or sister. Help, for the love of God, help.
Account details to follow. With a full set of crockery for deposits before the end of February. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | New twist on old scam | Feb 19, 2009 |
So, as colleagues have said, ignore and delete, except possibly to alert the agency, although it has most likely been generated by someone hacking into your address book rather than theirs. (Don't forward the message though).
| | | | | The result: I never trust anyone giving me money | Feb 19, 2009 |
I have probably told this some time ago, but when about a year ago the local tax authorities called to tell me that they have to return a couple of thousand euros to me, I just did not believe: I asked the guy for his full name, office of the tax authorities he worked at, and his passport number. I then called the tax office (looked for the number in the Tax Ministry's website) and inquired for the guy: indeed he worked there. Just to make sure I went to the place and asked other people whether ... See more I have probably told this some time ago, but when about a year ago the local tax authorities called to tell me that they have to return a couple of thousand euros to me, I just did not believe: I asked the guy for his full name, office of the tax authorities he worked at, and his passport number. I then called the tax office (looked for the number in the Tax Ministry's website) and inquired for the guy: indeed he worked there. Just to make sure I went to the place and asked other people whether they knew the guy. Only then I believed!! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Maybe the company director doesn’t know that he’s in Nigeria :) | Feb 19, 2009 |
As I wasn’t aware too that I’m in London, no money, no computer, no Internet, no mobile, no phones, hungry, and I need GBP 1200….:) There is a big possibility that someone stole his password and user name and sent emails to all the contacts he has in his email account. I was lucky because one of my very good clients was so worried about me and sent me an email asking me to send me the money via Moneybookers?? And, you can imagine my face when I saw what kind of email "I sent” to all of m... See more As I wasn’t aware too that I’m in London, no money, no computer, no Internet, no mobile, no phones, hungry, and I need GBP 1200….:) There is a big possibility that someone stole his password and user name and sent emails to all the contacts he has in his email account. I was lucky because one of my very good clients was so worried about me and sent me an email asking me to send me the money via Moneybookers?? And, you can imagine my face when I saw what kind of email "I sent” to all of my contacts…
Ignore this email, inform your client and tell him to change his password and user name, if it’s not too late…
Gabriela ▲ Collapse
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Angela B
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:59
German to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Mervyn, that's terrible | Feb 19, 2009 |
Mervyn Henderson wrote:
... please help. I have been kidnapped by a group of masked men calling themselves the Streatham Seven. When I pointed out there were only three of them they pistol-whipped me, said there had been internal differences. Despite my desperate suggestion of a name change to the Thornton Heath Three, it being relatively close by on the map, they are still demanding one million USD for my release.
This is really Mervyn, not his brother or sister. Help, for the love of God, help.
Account details to follow. With a full set of crockery for deposits before the end of February.
You're in luck Mervyn, as I still have some cash left after helping all those others I don't even know get out of their tricky situations, so just forward me your bank details and I'll have you out of there in a jiffy.
I can't wait to receive the crockery set by the way, it's just what I need!
Thanks also to the rest of you for your replies - I'm just hoping the same doesn't happen to my email account...
| | | | Aniello Scognamiglio (X)
Germany
Local time: 14:59
English to German
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Angela Burt wrote:
Does this strike anyone else as just a little strange?
Not at all! It happens every day.
If you want to learn a lesson, help him!
If you want to save money, ignore the email!
Honestly speaking, you are a bit naive.
Do you really think that a serious director of a translation agency would ask you for money?
| | | | Angela B
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:59
German to English
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TOPIC STARTER | No, I didn't... | Feb 19, 2009 |
Aniello Scognamiglio wrote: Angela Burt wrote:
Does this strike anyone else as just a little strange? Not at all! It happens every day. If you want to learn a lesson, help him! If you want to save money, ignore the email! Honestly speaking, you are a bit naive. Do you really think that a serious director of a translation agency would ask you for money?
Aniello, I never once thought that a *serious* agency director would do this, and I never, even for a split second, entertained the idea of sending any money. I posted this to a) see if anyone had received a similar mail and b) because my doubt was whether this was simple spam or whether the AGENCY was a dud.
I'm Scottish for God's sake, it hurts me to give my own mother money!
PS. Does this mean the nice Nigerian man who wants me to keep his deceased wife's savings (tragic story) is a phoney too?
[Edited at 2009-02-19 14:40 GMT]
| | | | | Nothing's strange from Nigeria | Feb 19, 2009 |
Mervyn Henderson wrote:
Or perhaps a whipround on Proz. would sort things out. Show some solidarity. What do you think?
I'll put in a quid if every else will
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Lu Wang
Local time: 20:59
Chinese to English
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| The True Proceedings | Feb 19, 2009 |
The story goes like this: Two months ago, the agency director received a message from so-called "Hotmail Administration" demanding him to verify his hotmail account. He naively revealed his password... You all know what happened subsequently.
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
Spain
Local time: 14:59
Spanish to English
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Although it will doubtless be a time-consuming burden, I have agreed to act as treasurer for this Nigerian thang, and now that John's going to start the ball rolling with his quid, I welcome everyone to do the same. All the normal hard currencies, gilts, Spanish doubloons, penny blacks etc. will be acceptable, by PayPal, MB, messenger service.
Give generously to me in order to receive. You know it makes cents.
| | | | Thomas Pfann
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:59
Member (2006)
English to German
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Mervyn Henderson wrote:
Give generously to me in order to receive. You know it makes cents.
I think we can help out each other here: I happen to have this $2.3m cheque flying around here (some money I inherited from a long lost uncle - he actually ended up living in... wait for it... Nigeria [what are the odds?] where he apparently made a fortune). Anyway, if I just send you this cheque, could you do me a favour and transfer the rest back to my account, please? That would save me the hassle of going to the bank myself, you know. Feel free to keep a generous tip for yourself!
[Edited at 2009-02-19 15:37 GMT]
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Angela Burt wrote:
PS. Does this mean the nice Nigerian man who wants me to keep his deceased wife's savings (tragic story) is a phoney too?
Angela, this whole world of Nigerian scams is so old! It even has a name, "Nigerian letter". Before Internet was widespread, the letters came on paper to the managers of SMBs all over Europe and the US, and many of them fell in the trick and were robbed of their money from their bank accounts when they gave the account numbers and keys "to receive all the money"...
Here you can see a webpage from the FBI in which the scam is discussed.
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| Do you take.... | Feb 19, 2009 |
Mervyn Henderson wrote:
Although it will doubtless be a time-consuming burden, I have agreed to act as treasurer for this Nigerian thang, and now that John's going to start the ball rolling with his quid, I welcome everyone to do the same. All the normal hard currencies, gilts, Spanish doubloons, penny blacks etc. will be acceptable, by PayPal, MB, messenger service.
Do you take ameros?
| | | | Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:59
French to English
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Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote: Angela Burt wrote:
PS. Does this mean the nice Nigerian man who wants me to keep his deceased wife's savings (tragic story) is a phoney too? Angela, this whole world of Nigerian scams is so old! It even has a name, "Nigerian letter". Before Internet was widespread, the letters came on paper to the managers of SMBs all over Europe and the US, and many of them fell in the trick and were robbed of their money from their bank accounts when they gave the account numbers and keys "to receive all the money"...
I know I'm not the Angela you're addressing, but I feel I need to come to the other Angela's defence here - I'm pretty sure she knows full well about Nigerian scams. I hope you were just being ironic, as she undoubtedly was.
| | | | Angela B
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:59
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote: Angela Burt wrote:
PS. Does this mean the nice Nigerian man who wants me to keep his deceased wife's savings (tragic story) is a phoney too? Angela, this whole world of Nigerian scams is so old! It even has a name, "Nigerian letter". Before Internet was widespread, the letters came on paper to the managers of SMBs all over Europe and the US, and many of them fell in the trick and were robbed of their money from their bank accounts when they gave the account numbers and keys "to receive all the money"... Here you can see a webpage from the FBI in which the scam is discussed.
I'm glad someone got it - okay, I admit it was rubbish, but it was meant to be a joke...
[Edited at 2009-02-19 16:14 GMT]
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