I mentioned I had email scams on my list to cover. Since the whole Epsilon hack just happened, I figured now was a good time. It's a three-part series, with the first article here.

Who's got some funny, creative or just plain out-there email scam stories to share? I use an email I received as an example in part 2 of the series.

Oh! You know those new scam letters about "Help I'm stuck in London and need money to get back home?" I responded to one and she wrote back and forth with me for a week or so. I should post the letters! She finally gave up when I kept asking WHICH hotel she was at so I could help out more directly.

Oh, good point! I've heard of people targeting the elderly with phone calls along the same lines, usually people pretending to be their grandchild.

I don't think I know anyone in real life who's even BEEN to London, (except London, KY LOL!) so they'd be out of luck trying to get me to fall for it.

This is the website which gives advice to people so they don't fall for the scams, but also gives tips to those who scam the scammers.

Scamming the Scammers

They engage the would-be scammers in a counter-scam!

so stay careful while using your emails.

Mona, I love that site! LOL!

Tia, I agree. Scammers can be so clever these days, with emails that look so real.

Here's one I received at my BellaOnline contact email:

Subject: UPS ticket #01988

UPS Express Delivery
tracking number #20443
Good morning
Parcel notification

The parcel was sent your home adress.
And it will arrive within 5 buisness days.

More information and the parcel tracking number are attached in document below.

Thank you


Let�s discuss! First off, I am VERKLEMPT that they wished me a good morning. How sweet!

Now, I worked in retail for many, many years and tracked many, many UPS packages for customers. The tracking numbers begin w/�1Z� and are much longer than this. Plus, the subject line has one number, while the body has another! I certainly have no plans to open the attachment, so I will never know what it contains.

Finally, not so good, the English. They seem to be missing a �to,� started a sentence with �and,� and misspelled �address� and �business.� Scamming=easy. Spell check=hard.

From my personal email:

Subject: Outstanding payment

Dear sir/madam ,
I am Attorney John Bennett, of ATTORNEY BENNETT & ASSOCIATES. This mail is written and intended to solicit your Assistance to be presented as the NEXT OF KIN to my Late Client, Mr Peter Bush. My Deceased Client Peter Bush from U.S.A,was an investor in oil and gas sector in Nigeria, he made a fixed Deposit of Fund valued at $14,600,000.00 (Fourteen Million Six Hundred Thousand dollars Only) with First Bank of Nigeria and unfortunately lost his Life in 1990 and left no clear Beneficiary as Next of Kin except some vital documents Related to the Deposit which is still under my possession. The Governing Body of the said bank have contacted me on this matter and I am yet to provide the Next of Kin to lay claims to the Fund legally. Under a clear and legitimate Agreement with you, I shall seek your consent to be Presented as the Next of Kin so that my late Clients' bank will not confiscate this fund. For the sake of transparency on this matter, you are Free to make immediate contact
to me via my e-mail for further information to this matter. Thank you very much for your anticipated acceptance while i expect your prompt response.

Best Regards,
Barrister John Bennett.
+2348022449043

HUZZAH! Someone who doesn�t even know if I�m a �sir� or �madam� (not capitalized, to boot!) has over FOURTEEN MILLLLLION DOLLARS for me. [/Dr. Evil] I do enjoy the scattershot capitalization. It makes those words look super important.

Then we have an attorney/barrister writing this email. You�d think they could pick a term and stick to it. We won�t even get into the English in this one. It�s super bad. Not in a good way.

I am so excited that someone who died when I was 13 years old and cannot possibly have any closer relatives in the whole wide world than me has left me all this money. It�s going to be nothing but champagne wishes and caviar dreams for me from here on out!

These people have sent me 2 emails. Does that mean I have 2 ATM cards loaded with $1.5 million USD to claim?

Our Ref: FGN/SNT/OCB!!!

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HAS BEEN ATTACHED TO A DEPOSITION Like a court document? or a DEPOSIT? MADE IN YOUR NAME AND WE FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT AND YOU HAVE NOT FULFILLED THE OBLIGATIONS GIVEN TO YOU IN RESPECT OF YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT. SECONDLY WE HAVE SECURED THE RELEASE OF THE FUND TO YOU. YOU ARE TO CONTACT THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUNDS DEPARTMENT CARD PAYMENT CENTER.

NAME: Barr.Walter Carinton
EMAIL ADDRESS: atmcardcentesR? hotmail.com All lawyers use Hotmail.
Phone: +2348067782308
AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS -S :

1. YOUR FULL NAME......
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER......
3. ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT/NEED THE ATM CARD DELIVERED.....
4. YOUR AGE/SEX.....
5. CURRENT OCCUPATION.....
6. PRESENT COUNTRY.....
7. COPY OF YOUR MEANS OF IDENTIFICATION, ANY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT S, I guess? I would only have one OR DRIVER'S LICENSE.....

THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTER HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT AN ATM CARD VALUE OF {USD 1.5 MILLION} WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE REDUNDANT, IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD AS PAYMENT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR 2011, . YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S)TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT. DON'T TELL THE COPS!

NOTE: THAT BECAUSE OF IMPOSTORS, WE HEREBY ISSUE YOU OUR CODE OF CONDUCT, Code of Conduct, I do not think it means what you think it means. [/Inigo Montoya] WHICH IS (ATM-822) SO YOU HAVE TO INDICATE THIS CODE WHEN CONTACTING THE CARD CENTER BY USING IT AS YOUR SUBJECT.

NB: You need to give Barr. Smith Paul a call with at this phone number: +2348067782308 So so that your ATM CARD card can be sent to you without any delay.

NOTE: YOU CAN ALSO CALL THE FOREIGN OFFICE FOR CONFIRMATION WITH THIS MOBILE NUMBER IF YOU WISH. +447024014801

KINDEST REGARDS,
Mrs Lilly Waters
CHIEF AUDITOR TO THE PRESIDENT
(COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN)


CAPS LOCK MAKEZ IT SUPER OFFICIAL!!!!!!!