I get mail!

Haven't got any of these for ages; perhaps my habit of forwarding them to the Fraud Squad might have discouraged them.

MR JOHN OKONKWO

Dear Friend,

I am MR JOHN OKONKWO, Bank manager, Long Term fixed Deposit Dept, of Safe Trust Bank Lagos Nigeria. I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.

On June 6, 1999, An American mining consultant/contractor with the National mining corporation, MRS ANN BARBARA MYERS made a numbered time (fixed) Deposit for twelve (12) calendar months, valued at US$25,000,000.00(TWENTY-FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to her forwarding address but got no reply. After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from her contract employers, the national mining corporation that MRS ANN BARBARA MYERS died from an automobile accident. On further investigation, I found out that she died without making a (WILL) and all attempts to trace her next of kin was fruitless.

I therefore made further investigation and discovered that MRS ANN BARBARA MYERS did not declare any kin or relation in her official documents, including his Bank deposit paper work in my Bank. This sum US$25,000.000.00 is still sitting in my Bank and the interest is being rolled over with the principal sum at the end of each year. According to our National Law, at the expiration of 5 (five) years, the money will revert to the ownership of the Nigerian government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

Consequently, my proposal is that I would like you to stand in as the next of kin to MRS ANN BARBARA MYERS so that the fruits of this old woman's labour will not get into the hands of some corrupt government officials. This is simple, I will like you to provide immediately your full name and address so that an Attorney will prepare the necessary documents and affidavits which will put you in place the next of kin. We shall employ the service of an accredited Attorney for the drafting and notarization of the WILL and to obtain the necessary documents and the of probate/administration in your favour for the transfer. A bank account in any part of the world which you will provide will then facilitate the transfer of this money to you as the beneficiary/next of kin. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ration of 60% for me and 40% for you.

There is no risk at all as the paper work for this transaction will be done by the Attorney and my position as the branch manager guarantees the successful execution of this transaction. If you are interested, please reply immediately via [email protected] Upon your response, I shall then provide with more details and relevant documents that will help you to understand the transaction.

Please observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this transaction would be most profitable for both of us because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.

Awaiting your urgent reply

Best regards,

MR JOHN OKONKWO

Apparently these scammers are the main source of business for Cyber-cafes in Lagos, Nigeria - they're filled with young men pretending to be relatives of deposed dicators, or in this case, crooked bank managers. I guess that somewhere there are people with the right combination of stupidity and greed to fall for these scams.