Email Scammers Get More Saavy

This brightened up my morning today. I get tons of spam like this but I have yet to have seen one that actually included my real name in the body. A few things about this are very cool:

1. I never knew I had a relative named Michael Nedelko. It's even more ironic that my relative has a similar name to mine (my middle name is Michael).
2. I never knew that my relative worked in West Africa as "Director of Produits petroliers" - although my French is a bit rusty I think that might mean he was the Director of Petroleum Products. Well done!
3. Sadly, even though I never met my successful relative (the dude was worth over $10M!) the poor guy was the victim of a tragic plane crash. I hardly even knew ya.
4. Happily, the money is in an estate account! Yippee! The lawyer was kind enough to track me down with all of this pertinent information. Thanks Lawyer person!

Sadly, this is the same old Nigerian email scam. It just seems they get better and better at composing their emails. Undoubtedly some poor schmuck will get a letter like this and send these people $10,000 to get the $10,000,000. But that poor schmuck probably already verified their banking and credit card information through a similar email.

Beware the Nigerian email scams, although if for some reason you're reasing my blog you would fall for this kind of thing (at least I hope to hell you wouldn't).

Check out this email though - pretty impressive overall:

BARRISTER  HUDSON JUNE AND CHAMBERS
03 BP 2082,Cotonou,
Republique du Benin
E-mail: hudsonjune1970@yahoo.co.jp

ATTN: Daniel Nedelko

I am Barr. Hudson June, the Attorney at law to Late Mr. Michael Nedelko, a native/national of your country, who used to work as the Director of Produits petroliers (TOTAL BENIN) in Benin Republic West Africa Here in after shall be Referred to as my client..

On the 29th of April 2007, my Client, His wife and their three Children were involved in a plane crash and unfortunately lost their lives. Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives  but all efforts was just in vain.

After  these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last name over the Internet, to locate any member of his Family hence I contacted you. I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left  behind by my Client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank (BANK OF AFRICA, BENIN REPUBLIC). These huge deposits were lodged particularly, with the "BOA" where the deceased had an account valued at about $10.5 million dollars (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).

The Bank has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confiscated. Since I have been unsuccessful in Locating the relatives for over Six years. Now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name so that the proceeds of this account valued at $10.5 million dollars can be paid to you and then you and I can Share the money 50% to you and 50% to me.  I will procure all Necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us seeing this deal through.

I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law, but you must also agree not to disclose or pass any information related to this business to any body for security reason and to avoid eye brow, and the way we are going to achieve this is.

I will need the following information from you:

Your Full Name and Address,
Your Age, Occupation and Position,
Your Telephone, Mobile and Fax Number for Communication Purpose.

My private email address is :  hudsonjune1970@yahoo.co.jp  Please feel free to contact me immediately for further action.

Waiting to hear from you urgently.
Best Regards
Barr. Hudson June.