Can A Scam E-mail Lead to Romance?

I GO ‘CHOP’ YA DOLLAR!

By MMK

Thursday, July 31, 2008.

I received a 419 email a year ago, and on the spur of the moment decided to begin a dialogue with the writer, a Miss Naomi Bangura whose father “lost his life in the course of the crisis in Seira loene.”

Fortunately for her, he had willed her $14.3 million in a Cote D’Ivoire bank account. Now she just needed my help in getting it out of the country. And of course in return for this help I would make my fortune.

Since the letter found me while I was conducting research in Kigali’s jails last year, I was bored enough to seek entertainment wherever I could find it. So I adopted the persona of a working class Englishman who owns a roofing company in the London suburb of Croydon, and has recently had an employee killed on the job. My replies are in italics and the first few exchanges can be found in an earlier posting on April 28th.

This is how the relationship got underway.

FromMiss Naomi BanguraAvenue 22 Rue 4Treichville ,Abidjan,Cote d’Ivoire

Dearest MMK

I love your profile and I have Decided to get in touchwith you, to see if you can help me solve my problem.
My name is naomi bangura. My father had lost his life inthe course of the crisis in Seira loene .My fatherwilled in cash, the sum of $14.3M USD which hedeposited in a bank here in Cote D’ivoire in suspenseaccount in Abidjan west Africa, with enablingconditionality for the release of the fund which areas follows:

(1) That I must be 24 years or above.

(2) That uponrequest for the release of the fund, there must beevidence of investment intentions especially outsidethe west Africa, I contact you therefore to confirm ifyou can absorb me in partnership in your company orpossibly advise me on any investment opportunity inyour country.

When I reach agreement with you, the bank will releasemy fund into an account that you shall nominate and Iwill come over to you to commence business partnershipwith you with the fund.

I expect your urgent response including youraddresses, your telephone and fax number.
Thanks for expected cooperation.
My regards,
miss naomi bangura.

dear naomi,I am so sorry for your los. I have heard of Sierra Leone on tv and know that it is having lots of problems. You appear to be ver young and I hope you can be helped. have you tried save the children? I give them money every year. my business is in tiling residential houses here in croydon in london so I do not know if that is the kind of business tjat the bank would accept. but if it is, write me an email and maybe you can do some business with us. I look forward to hearing from you and may the lord bless you.MMK

FromMiss Naomi BanguraAvenue 22 Rue 4Treichville ,Abidjan,Cote d’Ivoire

Dearest MMK,

I am happy to read from you today and I know, that God will use you to bless me. Firstly, I want to assure you of the safety of this transaction and I will invest it in your business venture as soon you claim this fund from the local bank in Abidjan. I will also give you the deposit certificate my late father use to deposit the fund with the bank for proof.

I will like you to enter into an agreement with me so that the business will be legal. I will go to the bank later today to ask the president of the bank if they will accept you. I know that they will accept you, I will like you to send me your telephone number and fax number for me to submit to the bank to enable the bank to contact you for further directives regarding this fund that is still in their fix suspense account.

I am tired of staying in this country because of the political problems and the safety of my life. I want to meet you soonest so that I continue my education. God bless you and the family.

Mr MMK, I want you to re-assure me that you will not betray me immediately you confirm this fund to your account, I want to make it known that this fund is my last hope and I will not live to loose it. Awaiting your prompt response.

Yours Naomi Bangura
SIRHOPE YOU ARE ALRIGHT IN HEALTH. IAM WONDERING WHY YOU HAVE NOT RESPONSE TO MY MAIL. I WANT LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE GONE TO THE BANK AND THEY HAS ACCEPTED YOUR OFFER. YOU SHOULD FORWARD THE REQUIRED INFORMATION TO ME IMMEDIATELY SO THAT I WILL SUBMIT TO THE BANK LATEST MONDAY.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,NAOMI

Dear Naomi,I am sorry that I hgave been out of touch for the last week, one of our employees died in a tragic accident faling of the roof of a building when fixing a leak. anyway, I am glad that the bank has accepted my offer of us doing busines together. but our lawyers need to be in contact with the bank directly so could you please send us the details and we can take it from there. also could you send a picture of yourself to me?Take care.

Dear Mr MMK,

I thank you for your letter, as I regret of the death of your fellow employees. I pray for his soul to rest in perfect peace.

I think I welcome your idea of involving your lawyers, at least it will help to speed up this, so that this money will be transferred without any delay. Please here is the contact of the bank.

Bank of Africa, Abidjan.
Tel:22507753535Fax:22521341457E-mail:info_boahq@financier.com

The contact person is Dr Kevin Idris, the director ofremittance department.

Please, I will appreciate if you contact the bank immediately, and request them to transfer this money, sothat I will leave here as soon as possible, to live a better life and continue my education. I have attached the certificate of deposit and my picture for you, and will be glad to see yours.

Thanks you and God bless you.

Naomi Bangura.

Dear MMK,
Beloved Mr MMK am very glad to have a person like you on my way and I am sure is not a mistake because before I got your contact I prayed and fasted for 3 good days and this is divinely made by the power of Jesus Christ.
And I will not stop praying for you and all the members of your family in Jesus name. Please, sir I will you to contact me as soon as you contact the bank. Have you received my picture and bank document? God bless you is my prayer.yours Naomi.

Dear MMK,Sir, how are you today? am afraid because I havenot been hearing from you for a long time, aftersending my picture and bank document and contacts Iwant to ask you whether you have received them ornot; Have you contacted the bank?
Frankly speaking, I am worried for not hearing fromyou, remember you promised to help me, this money is allmy hope and life you know there is political problemhere in ivory coast for confirmation check this (WWW.ABIDJAN.NET).

Being a young girl of my age I need your help and direction and if you cannot help me is better you let me know now so that I can look for another person that can help me.
I know that you might be busy of one thing or theother but you have to remember that am a young girland human being and I see you as my father. My greetings to your family and may GOD bless you all amen.Am waiting for your message.Naomi.

Dear Naomi,
I am sorry have been out of contacy. sory about you feeling so sad. as I told you one of my workerts got hurt ansd that is what we have beenn focusing on. really want to help you but am wondering about the money. just when you wrote me and even kindly sent me your picture (you are a very younf and atractive girl) someone wrote me a letter who is also in the same probliems like you. is this common problem? he was writing from liberia and had a lot of monery in the bank. almost fifty million which he offered to share if I helped him.

I am tempted to also do busines wityh him, what do you thinlk? it would be good money for me and it would also help youbng people in trouble. tell me your thoughts.thank you and cheers.
MMK

MMK is a writer and academic, based in East Africa. He blogs as African Bullets and Honey.

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